Coelandria smillieae
Encyclopedia
Coelandria smillieae, commonly known as the Bottlebrush Orchid, is found in Queensland
, Australia, from some of the Torres Strait Islands
, though Cape York Peninsula
to Townsville in the south at altitudes of 500-700 metres. It is also found in New Guinea
and Indonesia
.
on a range of trees - usually in low-lying areas, swamps and rainforest, and to moderate heights on the ranges. It prefers trees which are exposed to sunlight. It commonly grows on trees such as Lophostemon suaveolens (Swamp Turpentine or Swamp Box) which have loose papery bark. The roots of the orchid penetrate below the bark and form large mats which are well protected beneath the bark.
It also grows as a lithophyte
on rocky outcrops and rock faces. It forms large clumps with canes 15-100 cm long and 1-2 cm across. The spectacular pink and cream flowers with green tips are 20-25 mm long and are found at the end of erect canes or racemes about 80-150 mm. The flowers are semi-tubular, waxy and the labellum with the apex a dark green.
A white variety is found in the Sepik
swamps in New Guinea. In Australia it flowers between August and November.
The flowers are pollinated by the Yellow Honeyeater
(Lichenostomus flavus) also known locally as the Canary Honeyeater, which hovers in front of the flowers while feeding on the nectar.
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia, from some of the Torres Strait Islands
Torres Strait Islands
The Torres Strait Islands are a group of at least 274 small islands which lie in Torres Strait, the waterway separating far northern continental Australia's Cape York Peninsula and the island of New Guinea but Torres Strait Island known and Recognize as Nyumaria.The islands are mostly part of...
, though Cape York Peninsula
Cape York Peninsula
Cape York Peninsula is a large remote peninsula located in Far North Queensland at the tip of the state of Queensland, Australia, the largest unspoilt wilderness in northern Australia and one of the last remaining wilderness areas on Earth...
to Townsville in the south at altitudes of 500-700 metres. It is also found in 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...
and Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
.
Description
This widespread and common orchid 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...
on a range of trees - usually in low-lying areas, swamps and rainforest, and to moderate heights on the ranges. It prefers trees which are exposed to sunlight. It commonly grows on trees such as Lophostemon suaveolens (Swamp Turpentine or Swamp Box) which have loose papery bark. The roots of the orchid penetrate below the bark and form large mats which are well protected beneath the bark.
It also grows as a lithophyte
Lithophyte
Lithophytes are a type of plant that grows in or on rocks. Lithophytes feed off moss, nutrients in rain water, litter, and even their own dead tissue....
on rocky outcrops and rock faces. It forms large clumps with canes 15-100 cm long and 1-2 cm across. The spectacular pink and cream flowers with green tips are 20-25 mm long and are found at the end of erect canes or racemes about 80-150 mm. The flowers are semi-tubular, waxy and the labellum with the apex a dark green.
A white variety is found in the Sepik
Sepik
Sepik may refer to places in Papua New Guinea:*Sepik River*East Sepik - a province*Sandaun - a province formerly known as West Sepik*Sepik region - consisting of East Sepik and Sandaun provincesIn languages it may refer to:...
swamps in New Guinea. In Australia it flowers between August and November.
The flowers are pollinated by the Yellow Honeyeater
Yellow Honeyeater
The Yellow Honeyeater is a species of bird in the Meliphagidae family.It is endemic to Australia.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical mangrove forests....
(Lichenostomus flavus) also known locally as the Canary Honeyeater, which hovers in front of the flowers while feeding on the nectar.