Bulbophyllum johnsonii

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Yellow snake orchid
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Tribe: Dendrobieae
Genus: Bulbophyllum
Species:
B. johnsonii
Binomial name
Bulbophyllum johnsonii
Synonyms [1]
  • Serpenticaulis johnsonii(T.E.Hunt) M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones
  • Bulbophyllum kirkwoodiaeT.E.Hunt
  • Bulbophyllum whiteiT.E.Hunt & Rupp
  • Serpenticaulis kirkwoodiae(T.E.Hunt) M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones
  • Serpenticaulis whitei(T.E.Hunt & Rupp) M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones

Bulbophyllum johnsonii, commonly known as the yellow snake orchid, [2] is a species of epiphytic or lithophytic orchid that has a thin, creeping rhizome with flattened pseudobulbs, each with a single tough, dark green leaf and a single bright yellow to orange flower on a thread-like stalk. It grows on trees, shrubs and rocks in and near rainforest in tropical North Queensland.

Contents

Description

Bulbophyllum johnsonii is an epiphytic or lithophytic herb that has thin, creeping rhizomes pressed against the surface on which it grows and flattened dark green, reddish or purple pseudobulbs 14–18 mm (0.55–0.71 in) long and 10–15 mm (0.39–0.59 in) wide. Each pseudobulb has a tough, dark green, egg-shaped leaf 10–40 mm (0.4–2 in) long and 7–15 mm (0.28–0.59 in) wide. A single resupinate, red, brown, green or yellowish flower 7–10 mm (0.28–0.39 in) long and 15–20 mm (0.59–0.79 in) wide is borne on a thread-like flowering stem 20–30 mm (0.79–1.2 in) long. The dorsal sepal is 6–8 mm (0.24–0.31 in) long, 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) wide and forms a hood over the column. The lateral sepals are 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long and 2–3 mm (0.079–0.12 in) wide and spread widely apart from each other. The petals are 1–2 mm (0.039–0.079 in) long, about 1 mm (0.04 in) wide with a dark blotch on the tip. The labellum is 6–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long, about 1.5 mm (0.06 in) wide with a red base and a yellow tip. Flowering occurs sporadically throughout the year. [2] [3]

Taxonomy and naming

Bulbophyllum johnsonii was first formally described in 1950 by Trevor Edgar Hunt who published the description in Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland from a specimen collected at Hambledon by "A. E. Johnson". [4] [5] The specific epithet (johnsonii) honours the collector of the type specimen.

Distribution and habitat

The yellow snake orchid usually grows on trees, shrubs and rocks in rainforest and open forest, at higher altitudes between the Cedar Bay National Park and the Paluma Range National Park. [2] [3]

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Bulbophyllum bowkettiae, commonly known as the striped snake orchid, is a species of epiphytic or lithophytic orchid with thin, creeping rhizomes and flattened pseudobulbs each with a single tough, dark green leaf and a single cream-coloured flower with red stripes. It grows on trees and rocks in rainforest in tropical North Queensland, Australia.

Bulbophyllum argyropus, commonly known as the silver strand orchid, is a species of epiphytic or sometimes lithophytic orchid that is endemic to eastern Australia, including Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands. It has crowded pseudobulbs, tough, dark green leaves and up to four small whitish to yellowish flowers with an orange labellum.

<i>Bulbophyllum baileyi</i> Species of orchid from Australia and New Guinea

Bulbophyllum baileyi, commonly known as the fruit fly orchid, is a species of epiphytic or lithophytic orchid that is native to Queensland and New Guinea. It has coarse, creeping rhizomes, curved, yellowish pseudobulbs with a single thick, fleshy leaf, and a single cream-coloured flower with yellow, red or purple spots. It grows on trees and rocks in open forest, often in exposed places.

Bulbophyllum boonjee commonly known as the maroon strand orchid, is a species of epiphytic orchid that is endemic to tropical North Queensland. It has crowded, flattened pseudobulbs, stiff, pale green leaves and up to four small, bell-shaped maroon flowers with darker stripes.

Bulbophyllum caldericola is a species of epiphytic or lithophytic orchid with inconspicuous, well-spaced pseudobulbs arranged along rhizomes which mostly hang from the surface on which they are growing. Each pseudobulb has a single, fleshy, channelled leaf and a single white flower with yellow tips. It grows on the trunks and larger branches of rainforest trees near the eastern border between New South Wales and Queensland.

<i>Bulbophyllum elisae</i> Species of orchid

Bulbophyllum elisae, commonly known as the pineapple orchid, is a species of epiphytic or lithophytic orchid that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has crowded, wrinkled, pale green or yellowish clump-forming pseudobulbs, stiff, pale green to yellowish leaves and between three and twelve pale green to dark green flowers with a dark red to purple labellum. It usually grows in the tops of rainforest trees, on cliff faces or boulders.

Bulbophyllum evasum, commonly known as the creeping brittle orchid, is a species of epiphytic or lithophytic orchid with creeping brittle rhizomes, small, stubby pseudobulbs and dark green, fleshy leaves. The flowers are small, pink to reddish with dark stripes and yellow tips, clustered on the end of a dark red flowering stem. This orchid grows in rainforest on tree trunks and branches as well as on rocks, in tropical North Queensland.

<i>Bulbophyllum gadgarrense</i> Species of orchid

Bulbophyllum gadgarrense, commonly known as the tangled rope orchid, is a species of epiphytic orchid with small pseudobulbs hidden beneath purplish brown bracts, dark green, grooved leaves and small white flowers with orange or yellow tips. It grows on rainforest trees in tropical North Queensland.

<i>Bulbophyllum gracillimum</i> Species of orchid

Bulbophyllum gracillimum, commonly known as the wispy umbrella orchid, is a species of epiphytic orchid. It has a creeping rhizome, widely spaced, olive green pseudobulbs, each with a single thick, leathery, fleshy leaf and between six and ten purplish red flowers spreading in a semicircular umbel. The flowers have distinctive long, thread-like tails on the lateral sepals. It has a wide distribution and is found in New Guinea, New Caledonia, Indonesia, Malaysia and part of tropical North Queensland.

Bulbophyllum lageniforme, commonly known as the smooth strand orchid, is a species of epiphytic or lithophytic orchid that is endemic to tropical North Queensland. It has flattened, pale green, grooved, clump-forming pseudobulbs, stiff, dark green leaves and up to four cream-coloured or pale green flowers with a pink labellum. It usually grows on shrubs, trees and rocks in highland rainforest.

Bulbophyllum lilianae, commonly known as the warty strand orchid, is a species of epiphytic or lithophytic orchid that is endemic to tropical North Queensland. It has widely spaced, deeply grooved, dark green to yellowish pseudobulbs, thin but tough, dark green to yellowish leaves and up to three cream-coloured, pale green or reddish flowers with dark red stripes and a pink labellum. It grows on shrubs, trees and rocks, often in exposed situations.

<i>Bulbophyllum longiflorum</i> Species of orchid

Bulbophyllum longiflorum, commonly known as the pale umbrella orchid, is a species of epiphytic or lithophytic orchid. It has a creeping rhizome, widely spaced, dark green pseudobulbs with a single large, fleshy leaf, and flowers spreading in a semicircular umbel, resembling one-half of an umbrella. The flowers are canoe-shaped, greenish cream-coloured to yellowish with purple dots. It has a wide distribution and is found in parts of Africa, on islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, Southeast Asia, New Guinea and northern Australia.

Bulbophyllum macphersonii, commonly known as eyelash orchids, is a species of epiphytic or lithophytic orchid that is endemic to Queensland. It has tiny, crowded, slightly flattened, dark green pseudobulbs, a single thick, fleshy leaf and a single dark red to purplish red flower with a narrow labellum. It grows on trees and rocks in sheltered places.

<i>Bulbophyllum minutissimum</i> Species of orchid

Bulbophyllum minutissimum, commonly known as the red bead orchid or grain-of-wheat orchid, is a species of epiphytic or lithophytic orchid with small, flattened, reddish or green pseudobulbs, scale-like leaves and small whitish to reddish flowers with broad dar red stripes. It grows on trees and rocks, mostly in swamps and near streams in eastern Australia.

Bulbophyllum nematopodum, commonly known as the green cowl orchid, is a species of epiphytic or lithophytic orchid that has small, flask-shaped pseudobulbs pressed against the surface on which it grows. Each pseudobulb has roots at its base, a single shiny, fleshy leaf and a single cream-coloured flower with red spots on its top. It grows on trees and rocks in rainforest and is endemic to tropical North Queensland.

<i>Bulbophyllum newportii</i> Species of orchid

Bulbophyllum newportii, commonly known as the cupped strand orchid, is a species of epiphytic or lithophytic orchid that is endemic to tropical North Queensland. It has widely spaced, oval or cone-shaped, light green pseudobulbs, a single stiff, dark green egg-shaped leaf and up to eight bell-shaped white, cream-coloured or greenish flowers with a long, narrow yellow labellum. It grows on trees and rocks, usually at moderate to high elevations.

Bulbophyllum radicans, commonly known as the striped pyjama orchid, is a species of epiphytic or lithophytic orchid with long, hanging stems with roots near the base and covered with brown, papery bracts which partially hide the pseudobulbs. Each pseudobulb has a single thin leaf. A single small pink, cream-coloured or yellow flower with red or purplish stripes is borne on a thin flowering stem that emerges from the base of the psudobulb. This orchid grows on trees or rocks in or near rainforest in tropical North Queensland.

<i>Bulbophyllum shepherdii</i> Species of orchid

Bulbophyllum shepherdii, commonly known as the wheat-leaf rope orchid, is a species of epiphytic or lithophytic orchid that forms a dense mat of branching rhizomes pressed against the surface on which it grows. The pseudobulbs are well spaced along the rhizome, each with a single egg-shaped leaf and a single small, white or cream-coloured flower with yellow tips. It grows on trees and rocks in rainforest and is endemic to eastern Australia.

<i>Bulbophyllum wolfei</i> Species of orchid

Bulbophyllum wolfei, commonly known as the fleshy snake orchid, is a species of epiphytic or lithophytic orchid with thin, creeping rhizomes, and flattened pseudobulbs each with a single thick, fleshy, dark green leaf and a single cream-coloured flower with dark red stripes. It mostly grows on rainforest trees in tropical North Queensland.

<i>Bulbophyllum maxillare</i> Species of orchid

Bulbophyllum maxillare, commonly known as the red horntail orchid, is a species of epiphytic orchid with tapered grooved, dark green to yellowish pseudobulbs, each with a single large, thin leaf and a single reddish flower with yellow or white edges. The lateral sepals are much larger than the dorsal sepal which in turn is much larger than the petals. It grows on the lower branches of rainforest trees in India, New Guinea and tropical North Queensland.

References

  1. 1 2 "Bulbophyllum johnsonii". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  2. 1 2 3 Jones, David L. (2006). A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. p. 432. ISBN   1877069124.
  3. 1 2 D.L.Jones; T.Hopley; S.M.Duffy (2010). "Factsheet - Serpenticaulis johnsonii". Australian Tropical Rainforest Orchids . Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government . Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  4. "Bulbophyllum johnsonii". APNI. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  5. Hunt, Trevor Edgar (1950). "A review of the genus Bulbophyllum (Orchidaceae) in Australia". Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland. 60: 60. Retrieved 13 December 2018.