Warty strand orchid facts for kids

The warty strand orchid (scientific name: Bulbophyllum lilianae) is a special type of orchid. It's known as a "warty strand" orchid because of its unique look. This plant is an epiphyte or lithophyte, which means it grows on other plants or rocks without harming them. It's only found in tropical North Queensland, Australia.

This orchid has dark green or yellowish parts called pseudobulbs that are deeply grooved. It also has tough, dark green or yellowish leaves. Its flowers are usually cream, pale green, or reddish with dark red stripes. They also have a pink "lip" called a labellum. You can often find the warty strand orchid growing on shrubs, trees, and rocks, even in sunny and windy places.

What Does the Warty Strand Orchid Look Like?

The warty strand orchid is a herb that grows on other plants or rocks. It has parts called pseudobulbs that are spaced out. These pseudobulbs are dark green to yellowish and have deep grooves. They are about 7 to 12 mm (0.3 to 0.5 in) long and 3 mm (0.1 in) wide.

Each pseudobulb has one tough leaf at its end. This leaf is shaped like an egg or an oblong, and it's about 12 to 25 mm (0.5 to 1 in) long and 6 to 8 mm (0.2 to 0.3 in) wide.

The orchid produces up to three bell-shaped flowers on a thin stem. These flowers can be cream, pale green, or reddish, and they have dark red stripes. Each flower is about 4 to 5 mm (0.16 to 0.20 in) long and 6 to 8 mm (0.2 to 0.3 in) wide. The stem that holds the flowers is about 15 to 25 mm (0.6 to 1 in) long.

The flower has different parts:

• The dorsal sepal (the top part) is egg-shaped to oblong. It's about 5 to 7 mm (0.2 to 0.3 in) long.
• The lateral sepals (the side parts) are egg-shaped and curved. They are about 4.5 to 6 mm (0.18 to 0.24 in) long.
• The petals are oblong to egg-shaped. They are about 3 to 4 mm (0.12 to 0.16 in) long.
• The labellum, or "lip," is pink, thick, and fleshy. It's about 3 mm (0.12 in) long.

This orchid usually blooms between July and September.

How Was the Warty Strand Orchid Named?

The scientific name Bulbophyllum lilianae was first officially given to this orchid in 1917. It was described by a scientist named Alfred Barton Rendle. He wrote about it in a science journal called the Journal of Botany, British and Foreign. The description was based on a plant collected near the top of Mount Bellenden Ker in Queensland.

Where Does the Warty Strand Orchid Live?

The warty strand orchid grows on shrubs, trees, and rocks. It often lives in places where it gets a lot of sun and wind, or where there is mist and fog. You can find this orchid in a region that stretches from the Cedar Bay National Park to the Evelyn Tableland and the Paluma Range National Park. All these places are in tropical North Queensland.