Bulbophyllum nocturnum
Encyclopedia
Bulbophyllum nocturnum is a species of epiphytic
orchid that grows in New Britain
. It was described in 2011, and is the first species of orchid known to consistently flower during the night, and close its flowers during the day.
in the rainforest
s of New Britain
at an altitude of 240–300 m (787.4–984.3 ). The type specimens were collected in the Agengseng logging area, around the Upper Argulo River in West New Britain Province. Under the criteria used by the IUCN Red List
, B. nocturnum is considered Data Deficient
.
up to 6.2 centimetres (2.4 in) long and 3.2 cm (1.3 in) wide. It produces flowering stalks only 5 mm (0.196850393700787 in) long, which bear an inflorescence
comprising a single flower
. The flowers are around 2 cm (0.78740157480315 in) long, with "yellowish green" sepal
s, with a red tint near the base; the lip is dark red, while the column is "yellow tinged red"; the petal appendages are greyish.
B. nocturnum is believed to be the only species of orchid to routinely flower during the night. Another species of orchid, Dendrobium amboinense
, has been reported by some to open its flower at midnight and close them before noon, while other reports state that its flowers open at dawn. It remains uncertain how B. nocturnum pollinates, as the flower is open for such a short space of time.
is the largest genus in the family Orchidaceae, and one of the largest genera of flowering plants. B. sect. Epicrianthes is a section
of the genus comprising 38 species, 18 of which are endemic to New Guinea
. The flowers in this section have been described as "bizarre", with the appendages of the petals often attached to long, delicate stalks, and the appendages resemble the fruiting bodies of slime mould
s such as Arcyria
and Stemonitis
. B. nocturnum was described in 2011 by a team of scientists from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
and Leiden University
, in the Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society
. The specific epithet refers to the plant's night-flowering phenology
.
Epiphyte
An epiphyte is a plant that grows upon another plant non-parasitically or sometimes upon some other object , derives its moisture and nutrients from the air and rain and sometimes from debris accumulating around it, and is found in the temperate zone and in the...
orchid that grows in New Britain
New Britain
New Britain, or Niu Briten, is the largest island in the Bismarck Archipelago of Papua New Guinea. It is separated from the island of New Guinea by the Dampier and Vitiaz Straits and from New Ireland by St. George's Channel...
. It was described in 2011, and is the first species of orchid known to consistently flower during the night, and close its flowers during the day.
Distribution
Bulbophyllum nocturnum grows as an epiphyteEpiphyte
An epiphyte is a plant that grows upon another plant non-parasitically or sometimes upon some other object , derives its moisture and nutrients from the air and rain and sometimes from debris accumulating around it, and is found in the temperate zone and in the...
in the rainforest
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
s of New Britain
New Britain
New Britain, or Niu Briten, is the largest island in the Bismarck Archipelago of Papua New Guinea. It is separated from the island of New Guinea by the Dampier and Vitiaz Straits and from New Ireland by St. George's Channel...
at an altitude of 240–300 m (787.4–984.3 ). The type specimens were collected in the Agengseng logging area, around the Upper Argulo River in West New Britain Province. Under the criteria used by the IUCN Red List
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
, B. nocturnum is considered Data Deficient
Data Deficient
Data Deficient is a category applied by the IUCN, other agencies, and individuals to a species when the available information is not sufficient for a proper assessment of conservation status to be made...
.
Description and phenology
Bulbophyllum nocturnum has leavesLeaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
up to 6.2 centimetres (2.4 in) long and 3.2 cm (1.3 in) wide. It produces flowering stalks only 5 mm (0.196850393700787 in) long, which bear an inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
comprising a single flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
. The flowers are around 2 cm (0.78740157480315 in) long, with "yellowish green" sepal
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
s, with a red tint near the base; the lip is dark red, while the column is "yellow tinged red"; the petal appendages are greyish.
B. nocturnum is believed to be the only species of orchid to routinely flower during the night. Another species of orchid, Dendrobium amboinense
Dendrobium amboinense
Dendrobium amboinense is a species of orchid....
, has been reported by some to open its flower at midnight and close them before noon, while other reports state that its flowers open at dawn. It remains uncertain how B. nocturnum pollinates, as the flower is open for such a short space of time.
Taxonomy
BulbophyllumBulbophyllum
Bulbophyllum is the largest genus in the orchid family Orchidaceae. With more than 2,000 species, it is also one of the largest genera of flowering plants, exceeded only by Astragalus...
is the largest genus in the family Orchidaceae, and one of the largest genera of flowering plants. B. sect. Epicrianthes is a section
Section (botany)
In botany, a section is a taxonomic rank below the genus, but above the species. The subgenus, if present, is higher than the section, and the rank of series, if present, is below the section. Sections are typically used to help organise very large genera, which may have hundreds of species...
of the genus comprising 38 species, 18 of which are endemic to New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
. The flowers in this section have been described as "bizarre", with the appendages of the petals often attached to long, delicate stalks, and the appendages resemble the fruiting bodies of slime mould
Slime mould
Slime mold or mould is a broad term describing protists that use spores to reproduce. Slime molds were formerly classified as fungi, but are no longer considered part of this kingdom....
s such as Arcyria
Arcyria
Arcyria is a genus of Amoebozoa. It includes the species Arcyria ferruginea ....
and Stemonitis
Stemonitis
Stemonitis is a distinctive genus of slime molds found throughout the world . They are characterised by the tall brown sporangia, supported on slender stalks, which grow in clusters on rotting wood...
. B. nocturnum was described in 2011 by a team of scientists from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, usually referred to as Kew Gardens, is 121 hectares of gardens and botanical glasshouses between Richmond and Kew in southwest London, England. "The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew" and the brand name "Kew" are also used as umbrella terms for the institution that runs...
and Leiden University
Leiden University
Leiden University , located in the city of Leiden, is the oldest university in the Netherlands. The university was founded in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, leader of the Dutch Revolt in the Eighty Years' War. The royal Dutch House of Orange-Nassau and Leiden University still have a close...
, in the Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society
Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society
The Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society is a scientific journal publishing original papers relating to the taxonomy of all plant groups and fungi, including anatomy, biosystematics, cytology, ecology, ethnobotany, electron microscopy, morphogenesis, palaeobotany, palynology and...
. The specific epithet refers to the plant's night-flowering phenology
Phenology
Phenology is the study of periodic plant and animal life cycle events and how these are influenced by seasonal and interannual variations in climate...
.