2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
When it comes to Orchids, the imagination immediately draws a rainforest in which warmth and moisture reign. From exotic trees of such a forest hang the aerial roots of Orchids, capable of absorbing nutrients and water directly from the surrounding airspace. The roots are so successful in fulfilling their functions of supplying that juicy leaves and, as a rule, large and surprisingly picturesque flowers become the object of sincere admiration of the observer. Among the wide variety of Orchids, there are species that descend to the ground, the roots of which penetrate the soil
The main reason that forced Orchids to descend to earth is the cooling of the climate. When the cold on our planet began to crowd out the warm climate, epiphytic Orchids, which could not retreat to warm lands after living creatures, had two options: to die, or to adapt to new conditions of life. Probably, most of them died, however, some species managed to take root in the soil and survive in more severe conditions, losing their former size, but retaining their main differences from other terrestrial plants, including the unique and amazing structure of the flower. Let's get acquainted with some types of Orchids that live on earth.
Orchid type genus - Orchis
Interestingly, the name of the Orchid family (Latin Orchidaceae) is based on the name of the Orchid genus, whose representatives live on soil, not on trees. This genus is the Orchis (Latin Orchis). There were times when the genus numbered more than a thousand species of plants, but the closer the botanists got to know the plants, the more the genus "lost weight", which today has just over twenty species of orchids living on the soil.
Among them there are plants that amaze with the amusing shape of their flowers, similar to miniature men, without hesitation showing their "main" organ, for which this species was named "Orchis mascula" ("Male orchis"). By the way, the very name of the genus is associated with the shape of underground tubers, resembling an "egg", which in ancient Greek is consonant with the word "Orchis". It is to the underground tubers that the plant owes its long life in cold climates.
Plants of the genus are quite picturesque, and therefore they will willingly decorate a dacha flower bed. Orchis tubers have healing powers, which are actively used by traditional healers.
Genus Dactyloriza or Finger-root
The genus "Dactylorhiza" is richer, numbering in its ranks about four dozen species of terrestrial Orchids. All of them were isolated by botanists from the genus Orchis described above, since the appearance of their root system is somewhat different. Although the plants of the genus also form tubers-pantries of nutrient reserves, together with the roots, they form an underground structure resembling spread fingers, which was the reason for the name of the genus, which, again, was helped by the ancient Greek language.
Plants of the genus can be found in Russian forests, where they winter safely under snowdrifts. Since Palchatokorennik is in close friendship with fungal mycorrhiza, with which the plant exchanges "food" on mutually beneficial terms, orchid seeds can show their picturesque aerial parts to the world only where they meet their natural "friend". Such cooperation should be considered when trying to grow Dactyloriza in your own flower garden.
Fingertip tubers also have healing powers.
Genus of rare Orchids - Calypso
"Calypso" is a monotypic genus, the only species of which, "Calypso bulbosa" ("Calypso bulbous"), was included in the "Red Book" of our country.
Each plant reveals only one leaf to the world, appearing in the fall and leaving green under the snow, in order to please the world with its greenery in early spring. The fragrant flower of the plant is also solitary, justifying the name "Calypso", received in honor of the nymph of the same name, who fell in love with Odysseus and tried to keep him near her, but remained alone.
The orchid prefers to hide in the thicket of the coniferous forest, and therefore rarely gets to see it. For the life of a plant, the presence of fungal filamentous formations in the soil is very important, with which the Orchid has a friendly alliance for mutual support.
American natives diversify their diet with Calypso bulbs, threatening the complete extinction of the plant from the face of the planet.
Note: The main photo shows the Orchis.
More information on terrestrial Orchids can be found in our Encyclopedia.
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