Dendrophylax lindenii - Orchid of the Month, May 2017

Dendrophylax lindenii by Mick Fournier,
Pompano Beach, Florida

Here is an orchid that has it all - strangeness, rarity, fragrance, and a drop-dead gorgeous flower. Dendrophylax lindenii, the Ghost Orchid, is a leafless orchid that grows epiphytically on the trunks of trees in swampy lowland forests in south Florida and some Caribbean islands. The entire genus Dendrophylax is leafless and they perform photosynthesis with their roots, as do a number of related genera from Africa and Madagascar. The roots are flattened and grow uncovered and plastered against tree bark; in their natural condition they look a lot like a Phalaenopsis with most of the stem and all the leaves torn off (in fact, some Phalaenopsis species are nearly leafless). The loss of leaves in these orchids is probably an adaptation to a seasonally dry climate.

Many Dendrophylax species have lovely flowers, but those of D. lindenii are especially large, graceful, and unusual in form. They have a long curved flower spur and are said to be pollinated by the long-proboscised (long-tongued? long-proboscis owning? well-proboscis-endowed?) sphinx moth Cocytius antaeus, which is seeking the nectar hidden away at the end of the spur [note - I have not yet been able to track this claim to a primary source]. This coadaptation is reminiscent of Angraecum sesquipedale from Madagascar, which was famously predicted by Charles Darwin to be pollinated by a moth with a very long proboscis, because its flower is white, nocturnally fragrant, and has a very long nectar-bearing spur. Unlike D. lindenii though, A. sesquipedale is endowed with abundant dark green leaves.

A few commonly cultivated orchids appear to be leafless when in flower because they are deciduous and flower in their leafless phase (some Lycaste, Mormodes, Clowesia, and Dendrobium species). These plants are remarkable looking when in bloom - a few half-dead looking pseudobulbs mysteriously shooting out a plethora of flowers.

Mormodes paraensis, photo by QT Luong

Dendrophylax lindenii is endangered and should never be collected from the wild. They are also notoriously difficult to grow in culture and you should not acquire one unless you are well informed and committed to its care and you know the plant was raised from seed in captivity. If you want to grow a leafless orchid, choose one that is more easily grown, such as a Chiloschista species.

Unlike most orchid species, there is a good Wikipedia article on Dendrophylax lindenii, which provides some additional technical information but lacks the wit, grace, and brilliant insight (meandering hodgepodgieness) of my blog posts.