Bulbophyllum minutissimum F.Muell.

Red bead orchid (en)

Species

Angiosperms > Asparagales > Orchidaceae > Bulbophyllum

Characteristics

Plants growing as branching strands or massed clumps. Pseudobulbs crowded, round, flattened, 2–3 × 1 mm, usually reddish, sometimes green. Leaves linear, scale-like, c. 1 mm long, curved. Flower stems erect, thread-like, c. 3 mm long. Ovary hairy. Flower 2.5–3 × 3–3.5 mm, whitish to reddish with broad, dark red stripes and a red labellum. Sepals and petals spreading widely. Dorsal sepal 2–3 × 2 mm. Lateral sepals 2–2.5 × 2 mm. Petals c. 1.5 × 0.5 mm. Labellum c. 2 × 1 mm, curved, fleshy, base grooved.
Life form perennial
Growth form herb
Growth support epiphyte
Foliage retention evergreen
Sexuality hermaphrodite
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Environment

Widespread and common, but easily overlooked; growing in shade and sun on trees, boulders, cliff faces and escarpments from coast to inland ranges and gorges in a range of habitats such as swamps, stream banks and coastal vegetation, including littoral rainforest and mangroves. A favoured mangrove host is the large-leafed mangrove (Bruguiera gymnorrhiza). It also grows on large, relict fig trees that survive in suburbia and in paddocks after the vegetation has been cleared, especially in near-coastal areas; also recorded growing on a bottle tree (Brachychiton rupestris) in Qld.
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Hardiness (USDA) 8-11

Usage

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Cultivation

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Distribution

Bulbophyllum minutissimum world distribution map, present in Australia

Conservation status

Bulbophyllum minutissimum threat status: Least Concern

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:619548-1
WFO ID wfo-0000554395
COL ID 5WS3Q
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR) Link

Synonyms

Oncophyllum minutissimum Bulbophyllum minutissimum Bulbophyllum moniliforme Dendrobium minutissimum Dendrobium nummulifolium Phyllorchis minutissima Bulbophyllum moniliforme Phyllorkis minutissima