Pineapple orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pineapple orchid |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Bulbophyllum
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| Species: |
elisae
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The pineapple orchid, also known by its scientific name Bulbophyllum elisae, is a special type of orchid. It gets its common name because its stems look a bit like tiny pineapples! This plant is found only in eastern Australia.
This orchid can grow in two ways:
- As an Epiphyte: This means it grows on other plants, like trees, but it doesn't harm them. It just uses them for support.
- As a Lithophyte: This means it grows on rocks or cliffs.
The pineapple orchid has unique, lumpy stems called pseudobulbs. These are usually pale green or yellowish. It also has stiff, green leaves and pretty flowers that can be pale green to dark green. The most interesting part of the flower is its dark red or purple labellum, which is like a special lip. You can often find these orchids high up in rainforest trees or clinging to rocky surfaces.
Contents
What Does the Pineapple Orchid Look Like?
The pineapple orchid is a herb that grows in clumps. It has crowded, wrinkled, and grooved stems called pseudobulbs. These pseudobulbs are about 10 to 30 millimeters (0.4 to 1.2 inches) long and 15 to 20 millimeters (0.6 to 0.8 inches) wide. They are usually pale green or yellowish.
The leaves of this orchid are thin and leathery. They are shaped like narrow oblongs or lances. Each leaf is about 60 to 100 millimeters (2.4 to 3.9 inches) long and 8 to 12 millimeters (0.3 to 0.5 inches) wide.
The Pineapple Orchid's Flowers
Each plant can have between three and twelve flowers. These flowers grow on one side of a thin stem that is about 150 to 250 millimeters (5.9 to 9.8 inches) long. The flowers themselves are 15 to 20 millimeters (0.6 to 0.8 inches) long and 10 to 15 millimeters (0.4 to 0.6 inches) wide. They range in color from pale green to dark green.
The flower has different parts:
- The dorsal sepal is egg-shaped. It is about 6 to 8 millimeters (0.2 to 0.3 inches) long and 3 millimeters (0.1 inches) wide.
- The lateral sepals are much longer. They are about 15 to 20 millimeters (0.6 to 0.8 inches) long and 3 to 4 millimeters (0.1 to 0.2 inches) wide.
- The petals are smaller, about 3 millimeters (0.1 inches) long and 2 millimeters (0.08 inches) wide.
- The labellum is the special lip of the flower. It is purple and fleshy, about 4 millimeters (0.2 inches) long and 2 millimeters (0.08 inches) wide.
You can usually see the pineapple orchid flowering between May and November.
How Did the Pineapple Orchid Get Its Name?
The pineapple orchid was first officially described in 1868. A botanist named Ferdinand von Mueller gave it the name Cirrhopetalum elisae. He wrote about it in a book called Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae. He found a sample of the plant near a place called Tenterfield.
Later, in 1873, another botanist named George Bentham changed its name to Bulbophyllum elisae. The second part of its scientific name, elisae, was chosen to honor a person named Eliza Kern. This part of the name is called the specific epithet.
Where Does the Pineapple Orchid Live?
The pineapple orchid is found in eastern Australia. It grows in specific areas between the Bunya Mountains in Queensland and the Blue Mountains in New South Wales.
Its favorite places to grow are:
- On the highest branches of rainforest trees.
- Sometimes on the faces of cliffs.
- On large rocks or boulders.
