Geodorum densiflorum along a mountain trail

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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 umbrella handle but gradually becomes erect as the pods mature. And because the flowers are self-pollinating and hence needs no pollinator to effect fertilization, the perianth segments do not open widely. In the past, I would force the sepals and petals to spread out just to see how the flowers would look like if they weren't so coy. You perhaps should try it yourself if you happen to chance some on your strolls; you'll agree with me that those flowers are far better off widely spread, aesthetics-wise. However, widely opened or not, I am happy just to see some growing in the wild, with those bubblegum-pink flowers. These plants flower only once a year, anytime from May till August.


That's one of my two companions in the background, panting like a dog and sweating buckets while I took these photos.
 

Comments

  1. Andrea13 September 2018 at 10:36

    I have posted this in the past but i always forget its Sci name. We have many of this around our property, growing as weeds under the coconut trees. You know what, the goats easily eat them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jardinerong Sunog13 September 2018 at 20:12

      Ah, so they are eaten by goats! The corms survive mechanical damage and new plants can sprout from detached pieces. It also seems to exhibit more environmental plasticity than the other common terrestrial orchid that we have, Spathoglottis plicata, as it occurs even along sea shores.

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