Fringed tree orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fringed tree orchid |
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Dendrobium macrostachyum in the Gothenburg Botanical Garden | |
Scientific classification | |
Genus: |
Dendrobium
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Species: |
macrostachyum
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Synonyms | |
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The Dendrobium macrostachyum, also known as the fringed tree orchid, is a cool type of plant. It's an epiphytic orchid, which means it grows on other plants, like trees, but it doesn't take their food. It has long, thin stems called pseudobulbs that store water.
As these stems get older, the leaves fall off. This orchid can have up to three flowers that are whitish to lime green. Each flower has a special part called a labellum, which is like a lip and is quite hairy. You can find this orchid growing naturally in Australia, warm parts of Asia, and eastern Malesia.
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What the Fringed Tree Orchid Looks Like
The fringed tree orchid is a herb that grows on other plants. It has thin, almost wire-like stems called pseudobulbs. These stems are green or yellowish and can be from 100–600 mm (4–20 in) long. They are about 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) wide.
The leaves are shaped like a spear or an egg. They are about 50–80 mm (2–3 in) long and 20–25 mm (0.8–1 in) wide. When the pseudobulb is about a year old, these leaves fall off.
Its Unique Flowers
Each fringed tree orchid can have up to three flowers. They are whitish to lime green in color. The flowers are about 12–15 mm (0.5–0.6 in) long and 15–20 mm (0.6–0.8 in) wide. They grow on a thin stem that is 15–25 mm (0.6–1 in) long.
The sepals and petals (parts that look like petals) are about 12–15 mm (0.5–0.6 in) long and 4 mm (0.16 in) wide. The labellum, or lip, of the flower is about 18 mm (0.7 in) long and 12 mm (0.5 in) wide. It's shaped a bit like a tube near its base.
The edges of the labellum are hairy. There are also three hairy lines along the middle of this lip. In Australia, these orchids usually bloom from December to March. In the northern parts of the world, they bloom in January and February.
How it Got its Name
The fringed tree orchid's scientific name, Dendrobium macrostachyum, was first officially described in 1830. A scientist named John Lindley wrote about it in his book, The Genera and Species of Orchidaceous Plants. He described it from a plant found in Myanmar.
The second part of its name, macrostachyum, comes from two Ancient Greek words. Makros means "long," and stachys means "an ear of grain" or "a spike."
Where the Fringed Tree Orchid Lives
The fringed tree orchid likes to grow in lowland rainforests. You can find it in several places around the world. These include India, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. It also lives in areas from the Himalayas all the way to eastern Malesia. In Australia, it grows on the Cape York Peninsula, reaching as far south as the McIlwraith Range.