Wildflower Series ~ Ground orchids
We usually think of orchids as growing in trees but some of them grow in the soil and others on rocks. There are many orchid species favouring all three kinds of habitats in my country but due to the fact that it's hot and dry with low rainfall in my area, all of the local orchid species grow in the ground. Orthochilos welwitschii grows in marshy areas and has sadly become rare because of ignorant people collecting it from the wild and habitat destruction due to urban expansion and invasive plants so I was amazed to find these growing in the watercourse near my house.
I noticed 3 different plants growing nearby to each other in one small area
It's a shame that people try and dig these orchids up because they are difficult to grow and they depend on a symbiotic relationship with certain types of mycorrhizal fungi for seeds to germinate and for adult plants to survive: another good reason for not removing plants from their natural habitat.
That's an interesting one - I couldn't find it when I tried to look it up. You're absolutely right - I think of orchids as epiphytes yet all of the Canadian ones are terrestrial.
You couldn't find it because it used to be in the genus Eulophia. Genetic testing has resulted in a little bit of name-shuffling in botanical circles (and huge arguments)
lol I bet is has! I saw the first signs of it in "Darwin's Ghost." It's an excellent book.
Botanists here are roughly divided into 2 camps:
I haven't read that book but I will look out for it
Very beautiful flowers are these orchids. It's amazing how they adapted to grow in hot and low-water climates.
It's absolutely beautiful. We have alot that sprout from the ground and i often find they are spectacular too.
Finding native orchids is exciting and quite often I cant find the name for them becuase they are so rare.
Please post some!
Oh, that’s not good, people digging up these orchids. :(
I do love orchids and would love a wild patch to appear in my own garden. Lucky you! ❤️
They are beautiful!
Very nice yellow orchids. We also have orchids growing from the ground. People also steal them from national park!
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Many Paphiopedilum orchids grow in the ground.
Great photos!
The leaves of these orchids are similar to the leaves of Cumbria.
Do they have a scent?
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