Taeniophyllum noid, philippines

[walingwaling]

I was never aware that we had native leafless orchids here in the Philippines. All the while I thought that those leafless forms were endemic to Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. This could be a first. Did you obtain that plant locally in Leyte or elsewhere in the Philippines?

hi jojo,
this one came from samar.

[PhilsDC]

If anybody travels to Bukidnon province in the Philippines, you'll probably see them along with Dove orchids (Dendrobium crumenatum) growing in cool dry barks with lichens. There flower spike is 5 centimeters short and its flower is pale white and its size is 2 centimeters. I'm thinking that this would be the smallest orchid flower I've ever seen. And it is totally leafless.

[jimec]

Hi Ron,

Well that is a start.

Jim Cootes
Author
The Orchids of the Philippines
Times Editions, Singapore, 2001

[walingwaling]

here is the update for jim,
bloom length is 6-7mm and width is 5mm,
petals and sepals width is 1mm, length 2-3mm,
spur length is 4mm snd width 0.8mm.

hope that helps.

[PhilsDC]

I was never aware that we had native leafless orchids here in the Philippines. All the while I thought that those leafless forms were endemic to Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. This could be a first. Did you obtain that plant locally in Leyte or elsewhere in the Philippines?

Hi Jojo,

There are lots of leafless orchids in the Philippines, Taeniophyllum is one of them. Galeola, Aphyllorchis, Erythrorchis, Gastrodia, Vanilla and others are also included of the leafless orchids in the Philippines.

[ManilaByNight]

Thanks Decoy for the info.

[angel]

So tiny! Incredible!