Jardinerong Sunog (the Burnt Gardener)

While walking along a mountain trail yesterday, I chanced upon a small population of the terrestrial orchid Geodorum densiflorum , a species widespread in China, Indochina, Taiwan, the Ryukyu Islands, to Malaysia and Indonesia. It is certainly one of the most common orchids in the Philippines and is found in a variety of habitats including limestone forests and beach forests, even near human habitation. In my place, some plants are found on the roadsides. This is a self-pollinating species, which means that it does not need a pollinator to produce viable seeds. If you will notice, the green ovaries are already expanding behind those pink flowers. And because it is apt to have so many seed pods, the chances are high that the species is able to spread far and wide. Geodorum densiflorum Geodorum densiflorum  have plicate leaves rising from a rounded underground corm which is said to yield a sticky substance that can be used as a mucilage. The inflorescences are bent like an u...

In my previous post on Phalaenopsis , I made mention of what I perceive to be an error in referring Kingidium philippinense as a synonym of Phalaenopsis deliciosa . Today I will discuss why, without diving into systematics. Shown below is Kingidium philippinense , and below it, P. deliciosa . The immediately obvious difference between the rachises of both species is that it is branching on the former. Indeed, I am yet to see a flowering plant of P. deliciosa with branched inflorescences, whether live or in photos. Of course, there is that odd chance that someone is going to show me a photo or two of a deliciosa with branched inflorescence, but the two are separated more than by that character. The lateral sepals of K. philippinense are oriented horizontally, while those of P. deliciosa  are decidedly drooping. The labellum midlobe of K. philippinense  is cuneate (wedge-shaped), but it is flabellate (fan-shaped) in P. deliciosa . The two-pronged callus have an extr...

It has been flowering since the past weeks and today, I am finally able to create a post for it- when it's already down to its last head of flowers. Monolluma hexagona  hails from Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Yemen and is said to grow on shallow soils in between stone outcrops. It was originally described as Caralluma hexagona  by John Jacob Lavranos in 1963 but moved to Monolluma  in 2002 by Ulrich Meve and Sigrid Liede. In 1995 it was placed in the genus Sulcolluma by Darrell Charles Plowes and just last year Peter Vincent Bruyns transferred the taxon to Ceropegia , a move that has not met wide acceptance. Monolluma hexagona  is a much-branched succulent and grows to around 20 cm tall; old specimens are matting plants with stout underground runners that give rise to more growths. You'll often see references to this plant as being difficult to grow, and indeed, it appears to demand a bit more attention compared to other stapeliads. This is a plant that c...

The genus Trachoma contains small monopodial orchids that are related to Tuberolabium , differing from that genus by way of their fugacious flowers that appear in batches over a progressively elongating rachis, an immoveable labellum fixed to the base of the column, a footless column, and two sessile pollinia. Similar to many other orchids with ephemeral flowers, the production of buds is triggered by an environmental stimulus i.e. a sudden drop in temperature such as after rains. The flowers of Trachoma may be short-lived, but are very attractive and often strongly fragrant. Trachoma phillipsii was described as Tuberolabium phillipsii by Timothy Choltco in 2007; Alexander Kocyan and Andre Schuiteman transferred it to Trachoma in 2014. As far as is currently known, this taxon appears to be restricted only to Nueva Vizcaya on Luzon. The plant was named after Andy Phillips, owner of Andy's Orchids in Encinitas, California and the importer of the plants from where the original...

The genus  Phalaenopsis  requires no introduction, and its species, in their myriad variations and color forms, are still much sought around the world even after more than a century of introduction. And for this post, I present to you the Philippine species which are among the most spectacular in the genus. Phalaenopsis amabilis Phalaenopsis amabilis labellum Phalaenopsis amabilis , albinistic form Phalaenopsis aphrodite subsp. aphrodite Phalaenopsis aphrodite subsp. formosana Phalaenopsis intermedia Phalaenopsis intermedia, red lip Phalaenopsis intermedia, yellow lip Phalaenopsis intermedia, pink form Phalaenopsis philippinensis Phalaenopsis sanderiana Phalaenopsis sanderiana Phalaenopsis schilleriana Phalaenopsis stuartiana Phalaenopsis stuartiana fma.  nobilis Phalaenopsis  x  veitchiana Phalaenopsis equestris Phalaenopsis...