Velvet jewel orchids facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Velvet jewel orchids |
|
|---|---|
Scientific classification  |
|
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
| Tribe: | Cranichideae |
| Subtribe: | Goodyerinae |
| Genus: | Rhomboda Lindl. |
Rhomboda, also known as velvet jewel orchids, is a group of about twenty different kinds of flowering plants. These beautiful plants belong to the Orchidaceae family, which is the big family of all orchids. Most Rhomboda orchids grow on the ground as terrestrial herbs. They have a thick, creeping stem called a rhizome that grows along the ground.
Their leaves often form a loose rosette and can be green or even a reddish-brown color. The flowers are usually small and not very bright. They grow on a stem that has tiny hairs. The top part of the flower (called the sepal) and the petals join together to form a little hood. This hood covers the central part of the flower, known as the column. Each flower also has a special lip (called the labellum) with a deep pocket at its base. You can find these interesting orchids in warm, tropical areas. They grow from northern India all the way through Southeast Asia, China, Japan, and even down to Australia and some Pacific Islands.
What Do Rhomboda Orchids Look Like?
Rhomboda orchids are usually perennial plants, meaning they live for more than two years. They are also deciduous, which means they might lose their leaves at certain times. These plants grow on the ground and have a fleshy rhizome that creeps along the surface. This rhizome helps anchor the plant with thin, wiry roots. A few types of Rhomboda can also grow on other plants, like trees, without harming them. These are called epiphytic orchids.
The leaves of these orchids grow in a spiral pattern around the stem. The upper leaves often form a loose rosette, like a swirl. Their colors can range from dark green to maroon or brownish. Many even have a cool white or red line running down the middle of each leaf.
The flowers are unique. They are either fully or partly "resupinate." This means they twist around so that the part of the flower that would normally be on top ends up on the bottom. The top sepal and petals join together to form a hood over the column. The side sepals are separate and often spread out. The labellum, which is the orchid's special lip, has a deep pouch near its base. It also has a narrow middle part and sometimes a hooked tip.
How Rhomboda Got Its Name
The group of plants known as Rhomboda was first officially described in 1857. A scientist named John Lindley gave it this name. He published his description in a science journal called Journal of the Linnean Society, Botany.
The name Rhomboda comes from an Ancient Greek word, rhombos. This word means "a top," like the toy that spins. Lindley chose this name because of the shape of certain small bumps, called calli, on the labellum of the first plant he studied. These bumps reminded him of a spinning top.
Where Do Rhomboda Orchids Grow?
Rhomboda orchids are found in many tropical places around the world. They grow naturally in countries like Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan. You can also find them in China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. They are present in Japan and the Philippines too.
Further south, these orchids grow in New Guinea, New Caledonia, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu. In Australia, they are found in Queensland, specifically between the Daintree area and Paluma.
