Epipogium roseum Lindl.

Ghost orchid (en)

Species

Angiosperms > Asparagales > Orchidaceae > Epipogium

Characteristics

Plants 10-45 cm tall. Rhizome tuberous, narrowly fusiform to ovoid, 1-5 cm, 0.5-2 cm in diam., many noded. Stem with 1-8 scattered sheaths, white, sometimes tinged pale pink; sheaths amplexicaul, white, 7-13 mm, membranous. Rachis laxly to subdensely 2-16-flowered, sometimes pendulous toward apex; floral bracts ovate-lanceolate, 7-12 × 4-7 mm. Flowers resupinate, pendulous, opening widely or not, white with faint purple spots on lip; pedicel 3-7 mm; ovary 5-7 mm. Sepals weakly spreading, linear-lanceolate, 8-11 × 2-3 mm, 3-veined, margin undulate, apex subacute. Petals similar to sepals, weakly spreading, often slightly shorter and wider than sepals, slightly oblique, 7-10 × 2-3 mm, apex acute to acuminate; lip elliptic-ovate when flattened, concave, 8-12 × 6-7 mm, spurred at base, entire, margins erose-denticulate; disk with 2 longitudinal densely papillose ridges, and occasionally with a shorter central ridge, or ridges sometimes reduced and inconspicuous; spur projecting backward, nearly parallel to ovary, cylindric, 3-5 × 1.5-2.5 mm, shorter than ovary, apex obtuse. Column 2.5-4.5 mm; anther subglobose. Capsule broadly ovoid-ellipsoid, 5-7 × ca. 5 mm. Fl. and fr. Apr-Sep. 2n = 68.
More
Tuberous rhizome horizontal, ovoid, composed of many internodes, up to 5 cm. long and 3.5 cm. broad.. Flowering scape to 60 cm., hollow, fleshy, brownish at base, almost white towards apex.. Inflorescence up to 20 cm. long, many-flowered; bracts ovate, up to 1.5 cm. long.. Flowers creamy white to dull dirty pink, with small dark purple or dull crimson spots.. Tepals not spreading.. Sepals lanceolate, acute, ± 1 cm. long.. Petals similar but slightly shorter than sepals.. Lip ± as long as tepals, broadly ovate, sides raised at base, margins ± irregular, with pair of minutely warted crests reaching from base to near apex.. Spur broad, 4 mm. long, pointing backwards below the ovary.. Column very short; anther larger than column; stigma at base of column; ovary conspicuous.. Embryo of seeds with 8 cells only.. Fig. 42.
Rhizome fleshy, horizontal in soil. Flower stem 200–600 mm long, dull yellow, nodding when in bud, upright when flowering. Flowers numerous, pendulous, 10–12 mm long, cream, pale yellowish or pinkish, each with a conspicuous plump ovary. Sepals and petals 10–12 mm long, pointed, somewhat fleshy, not expanding widely. Dorsal sepal and petals fused at base. Labellum 11–14 × 5 mm, ovate, often with red spots; base with a deep spur directed towards the ovary. Callus consisting of a central raised plate and irregular rows of numerous small calli.
Lip c. 10 × 5 mm, ovate, with 2 verrucose crests running along its length; spur blunt, 3–4 × 1–1.5 mm.
Leafless, saprophytic herb; tuberous rhizome up to 5 × 3.5 cm, ovoid, horizontal, villous, spongy.
Stem 18–60 cm tall, hollow, pinkish-white with red streaks, with c. 6 bract-like cataphylls.
Flowers drooping, not opening wide, off-white to dull pink, with purple or dull red spots.
Pedicel 7 mm long, ovary 4 mm long at anthesis, soon enlarging.
Inflorescence 12–20 cm long, laxly several-to many-flowered.
Column shorter than anther; stigma at base of column.
Sepals and petals 9–12 × c. 2 mm, lanceolate, acute.
Bracts 12–15 mm long, ovate.
Life form perennial
Growth form herb
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Sexuality hermaphrodite
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Mature height (meter) 0.1 - 0.45
Root system rhizome
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JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
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Environment

A very localised and elusive orchid that is found in many different, high rainfall habitats in tropical and subtropical areas, particularly rainforest, but also wet sclerophyll forest, open forest, woodland and grassland. Occasional plants appear in gardens. Its occurrence is often associated with exposed or buried decaying wood.
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Hardiness (USDA) 8-12

Usage

Uses -
Edible -
Therapeutic use -
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Cultivation

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Images

Epipogium roseum unspecified picture

Distribution

Epipogium roseum world distribution map, present in Angola, Australia, Central African Republic, China, Congo, Fiji, Ghana, Guinea, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Liberia, Moldova (Republic of), Myanmar, Nigeria, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sudan, Solomon Islands, Thailand, Taiwan, Province of China, Uganda, Viet Nam, and Vanuatu

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:633406-1
WFO ID wfo-0000952351
COL ID 6FV72
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID 671305
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Limodorum roseum Ceratopsis rosea Epipogium guilfoylii Epipogium indicum Epipogium kassnerianum Epipogium kusukusense Epipogium nutans Epipogium roseum Epipogium tuberosum Galera kusukusensis Galera nutans Galera rolfei Galera rosea Epipogium africanus Epipogium dentilabellum Epipogium sinicum Epipogium makinoanum Epipogium poneranthum Epipogium rolfei Epipogium sessanum Gastrodia schinziana Podanthera pallida Epipogium nutans var. celebicus Stereosandra schinziana