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Profile of a Ghost Orchid
Facts about Ghost Orchids: Kingdom - Plantae Phylum - Anthophyta Class - Liliopsida Order - Orchidales Family - Orhidaceae Genus - Epipogium Size of ghost orchids: Stem length: Anywhere from 5cm to 20 cm Size of flowers: Approximately 15 - 20 mm (measured vertically) Status of Ghost Orchids: In Britain, this orchid is specially protected under Schedule 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981. Description of Ghost Orchids: As the common name suggest, the ghost orchid is an enigmatic plant. It spends a large portion of its life underground. This orchid tends to disappear and suddenly reappear unexpectedly in an area. Also, another reason for the common moniker is that it totally lacks chlorophyll, the green pigment found in almost all plants. This is what gives the ghost orchid its eerie image. The stem is translucent with a slight touch of pink and with numerous reddish streaks. The leaves are reduced to small scales and protrude from the base of the plant. Higher up on the ghost orchid, the leaves take the form of one or two sheaths and fit snugly around the stem. Pale flowers are produced in quantity ranging from one to four which hang on fine stalks and are spotted with violet color. The ghost orchid has a long-lived underground storage organ known as rhizome which looks like coral. Range of Ghost Orchids: In Britain, it has been found typically in Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Herefordshire, and Shropshire. Globally, its range extends from north and central Europe, south to the Pyrenees, the north of Greece, and the Crimea. It also appears in Siberia, the Caucasus, and the Himalaya. Habitat of Ghost Orchids: Ghost Orchids are generally found growing in beech (Fagus), or once in awhile, oak (Quercus) woodlands in deep leaf-litter or on rotten stumps where there is very little or no ground flora. Biology of Ghost Orchids: Ghost orchids are saprophytic, this means they have the ability to gather nutrients from dead organic matter. This type of nutrient gathering is a result of the ghost orchid's lack of chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is used by plants during photosynthesis. The underground rhizomes have a long life span, but they don't produce stems every year. Various insects and bumblebees pollinate the flowers, but seeds are infrequently produced. Resources
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