Christopher Liang
- Dec 3, 2017
- 2 min read

orchid of the week (week 1)

Dendrophylax Lindenii, "the ghost orchid".

Most of us, I believe, the orchid lovers, have certain favourite orchids due to its specialness and their own unique features -- their behaviors, temper and appearance. today, we'd love to introduce you guys a new, special orchid, which is one of the distant relative to the well loved african Angraecum orchids.

As one of the most mysterious orchids, it was first discovered by the belgian plant collector Jean Jules Linden in 1844 in Cuba. Many years later, it was also discovered in Everglades, southwest of Florida, USA. As we know, leaves are one of the most important organs and features of all organisms in the plant kingdom, however this special orchid turned to be leafless -- it has only roots to conduct photosynthesis, and flowers to attract the giant sphinx moth to the purpose of pollination and succession of the offsprings. The very leafless feature has enventually become the reason what the plant itself is so renowned for.

Like most of the orchids, flowers of dendrophylax orchids have common structures. it consists of 3 sepals, two petals the lip (labellum), and the column. The upper one (eventhough it looks like a petal but strickly to say, it's the remainning part of bud) is call the dorsal sepal, and there are usually three of them of equal size. Under the dorsal sepal, there are two petals of equal size, which makes the flower vertically symmetrical. Below the two petals there are two lateral sepals, the functions are comparable with that of the dorsal sepal.

The most "orchidal" features are the lips, which was considered as petals, it is classified as the lip or labellum of orchids due of its unusual shapes. The main function of such structure is to provide a space for the giant sphinx moth to land while it pollinates.

Another structure makes dendrophylax orchids so special and more related to the angraecum genus is the long nectaries, or the nectar spur. It has evoled a super long spur because of their coevolved pollinator, and it functions as the selecter of its pollinators.

Cultivation:

The orchids grow on tree stems, and for the best, it should be mounted on a piece of cork or wood bark. its roots don't grow into the wood, because it is their only organ to obtain light in order to photosynthesize. Dendrophylax orchids grow well in a terrarium environment with moderate light provided and require high humidity. the tempreture for dendrophylax should be around from 18.5 to 32 celcius degree, and should be watered everyday until saturation (when the roots are turning dark green as most epiphyte orchids).

click here to download care sheet for dendrophylax lindenii.

To obtain this orchid, here are links that link to the trusted websites (only online shops in EU countries are provided), you may find dendrophylax plants, seedlings and hybrids.

https://www.elsner-orchideen.de/dendrophylax-lindenii-x-sallei.html

Elsner orchideen, Germany, dendrophylax lindenii x Sallei,

https://www.elsner-orchideen.de/dendrophylax-fawcettii.html

dendrophylax fawcetti

https://www.elsner-orchideen.de/dendrophylax-sallei.html

dendrophylax sallei

http://www.akerne-orchids.com/shop/index.php?route=product/category&path=156_190

Akerne orchids, Belgium.

Happy orchids care!