Green cowl orchid facts for kids

The Bulbophyllum nematopodum, also known as the green cowl orchid, is a special type of orchid. It can grow on other plants, usually trees, without harming them (this is called an epiphyte). It can also grow on rocks (this is called a lithophyte).

This orchid has small, bottle-shaped parts called pseudobulbs. These pseudobulbs are pressed flat against the surface where the orchid grows. Each one has roots at its bottom, a single shiny, thick leaf, and one cream-colored flower with red spots. The green cowl orchid lives in rainforests on trees and rocks. You can only find it in tropical North Queensland, Australia.

What the Green Cowl Orchid Looks Like

The green cowl orchid is a herb that grows on trees or rocks. It has many pseudobulbs that are close together. These pseudobulbs are shaped like small bottles. They are about 12 to 20 millimeters (about half an inch to three-quarters of an inch) long and 7 to 9 millimeters (about a quarter of an inch to a third of an inch) wide. Each pseudobulb has a long, thin neck and sits flat against its growing surface.

Leaves and Flowers

Each pseudobulb has one egg-shaped leaf. This leaf is about 70 to 130 millimeters (about 3 to 5 inches) long and 15 to 20 millimeters (about half an inch to three-quarters of an inch) wide. The leaf grows on a stalk that is about 20 to 30 millimeters (about three-quarters of an inch to just over an inch) long.

The orchid produces a single flower that is cream-colored or pale green. It has red spots and is about 8 to 10 millimeters (about a third of an inch) long and 10 to 12 millimeters (about half an inch) wide. This flower grows on a thin, thread-like stem that is about 50 to 70 millimeters (about 2 to 2.75 inches) long.

The flower has different parts:

• The top part, called the dorsal sepal, is about 6 to 8 millimeters long.
• The side parts, called the lateral sepals, are about 8 to 10 millimeters long.
• The petals are very small, about 2 millimeters long and 1 millimeter wide.
• The labellum (which is like the orchid's "lip") is pink to red. It is oblong, about 3 millimeters long, and 1.5 millimeters wide. It is thick and curved.

This orchid usually blooms, or flowers, from September to November.

How the Green Cowl Orchid Got Its Name

The green cowl orchid was first officially described in 1873. A scientist named Ferdinand von Mueller wrote about it in a book called Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae. He used a plant sample collected by John Dallachy near Rockingham Bay.

The second part of its scientific name, nematopodum, comes from two Ancient Greek words. Nema means "thread," and pous means "foot." This name likely refers to the orchid's thin, thread-like flowering stem.

Where the Green Cowl Orchid Lives

The green cowl orchid grows on trees and rocks in rainforests. It likes places where there is often mist in the air. You can find this orchid in a specific area of Queensland, Australia. This area stretches between the Cedar Bay National Park and the Paluma Range National Park.