Norfolk Island ribbonroot facts for kids

The Norfolk Island ribbonroot (scientific name: Taeniophyllum norfolkianum) is a really small and unique orchid that doesn't have any leaves! It's an epiphyte, which means it grows on other plants, usually trees, but it doesn't harm them. This special orchid has short stems and cool green roots that stick flat against the tree it's growing on. It produces tiny, yellowish-green, tube-shaped flowers, usually one at a time. You can find this interesting plant on Norfolk Island, and it has also been spotted in the North Island of New Zealand.

What Does the Norfolk Island Ribbonroot Look Like?

The Norfolk Island ribbonroot is a plant that doesn't have leaves. It's an epiphyte, meaning it grows on other plants. Its stems are super short, only about 1 millimeter (0.04 inches) long.

The roots are green and can make their own food using sunlight, just like leaves do! These roots are about 15 to 30 millimeters (0.6 to 1.2 inches) long and 1 to 2 millimeters (0.04 to 0.08 inches) wide. They are round when you look at them from the side.

This orchid grows between two and five yellowish-green flowers. Each flower is shaped like a tube, about 2 millimeters (0.08 inches) long and 1.5 millimeters (0.06 inches) wide. They grow on a thin stem that is about 15 to 25 millimeters (0.6 to 1 inch) long. Only one flower opens at a time.

The flower's parts, called sepals and petals, are a bit thick and only their tips spread out. They are about 1.5 millimeters (0.06 inches) long. The special lower petal, called the labellum, looks like a tiny boat. It's about 1.5 millimeters (0.06 inches) long and has a pointed tip and a small spur. This orchid usually flowers from August to September.

How Did It Get Its Name?

The Norfolk Island ribbonroot, Taeniophyllum norfolkianum, was officially described in 2006. Three botanists, David Jones, Bruce Gray, and Mark Clements, wrote about it in a science magazine called The Orchadian. They found the first plant they studied on Mount Bates.

The second part of its scientific name, norfolkianum, tells us where it comes from. It refers to Norfolk Island. The ending -ianum comes from a Latin word that means "belonging to" or "pertaining to." So, its name basically means "the ribbonroot belonging to Norfolk Island."

Where Does It Live?

The Norfolk Island ribbonroot loves to grow on the leafy branches of the Norfolk Island pine tree (Araucaria heterophylla). These trees are very common on Norfolk Island.

Interestingly, this orchid has also been found growing on a different plant called gorse (Ulex europaeus) in the North Island of New Zealand. This shows it can adapt to different places!