ghost orchid

Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii)

Part of the Florida's Native and Naturalized Orchids Website

Classification:
  Kingdom:   Plantae - Plants
    Subkingdom:   Tracheobionta - Vascular Plants
      Superdivision:   Spermatophyta - Seed plants
        Division:   Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants
          Class:   Liliopsida - Monocotyledons
            Subclass:   Liliidae - Lily/related subclass
              Order:   Orchidales - Orchid order
                Family:   Orchidaceae - Orchid Family
                  Subfamily:   Epidendroideae - Epidendroids
                    Tribe:   Vandeae - Vandaceous orchids
                      Subtribe:   Angraecinae - Angraecum relatives

Distribution Map:
Distribution map for Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii)
Description:
Synonyms: Aeranthes lindenii (Lindl.) Rchb. f. 1864; Aeranthus lindenii [Lindley]Rchb.f. ?; Angraecum lindenii Lindley 1846; Dendrophylax lindenii [Lindl.]Bth. ex Rolfe 1888; Polyrrhiza lindenii [Lindley]Cogn. 1910; Polyradicion lindenii [Lindley]Garay 1969

Summary: This is a rather conspicuous leafless epiphytic orchid consisting of an abbreviated growing center with a number of radiating roots, which perform the photosynthesis for the plant.

Typically a single flower is borne during a season, which is quite large for the plant, and one of the larger orchid flowers in the state of Florida. Plants bearing multiple flowers per season are very rare.


Common Name: Ghost Orchid

Habitat: Found in deep swamps and sloughs in extreme southern Florida, primarily on the trunks of pop ash or pond apple trees, but can occasionally be found on cypress, live oak, and royal palm trees.

Flowering season: May through September (peaking in June)

Images:
 
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) - Plant in flower.
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) - Plant in flower.
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) - multi-flowered plant.
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) - multi-flowered plant.
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) in Flower
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) in Flower
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) - Flowering Plant
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) - Flowering Plant
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) - Flowering Plant
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) - Flowering Plant
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) - multi-flowered plant.
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) - multi-flowered plant.
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) - isolated flower of monster ghost.
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) - isolated flower of monster ghost.
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) - single flower portrait.
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) - single flower portrait.
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) three-quarters profile shot.
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) three-quarters profile shot.
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) flower profile shot.
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) flower profile shot.
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) twin flowers.
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) twin flowers.
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) another flower just opened.
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) another flower just opened.
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) - opening flower profile.
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) - opening flower profile.
Corkscrew
Corkscrew "SuperGhost Orchid" (Dendrophylax lindenii), as photographed in July, 2007
Corkscrew
Corkscrew "SuperGhost Orchid" (Dendrophylax lindenii), as photographed in July, 2007 (8 x 10)
Corkscrew
Corkscrew "SuperGhost Orchid" (Dendrophlax lindenii), July, 2007
Corkscrew
Corkscrew "SuperGhost Orchid" (Dendrophylax lindenii), July, 2007 (8 x 10)
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii), Fakahatchee Strand, 2008 (upward telephoto shot)
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii), Fakahatchee Strand, 2008 (upward telephoto shot)
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) - flower closeup. Upward telephoto shot.
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) - flower closeup. Upward telephoto shot.
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) flower with visible plant center in shot.
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) flower with visible plant center in shot.
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) flower.
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) flower.
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) flower, taken with natural light.
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) flower, taken with natural light.
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii), June 2008.
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii), June 2008.
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii), June 2008.
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii), June 2008.
Ghost Orchid - Plant
Ghost Orchid - Plant
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) seedling
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) seedling
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) seedling
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) seedling
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) flower just opening.
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) flower just opening.
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) - Single Flower Portrait
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) - Single Flower Portrait
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) - The Corkscrew Swamp 'Super Ghost' in 2014
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) - The Corkscrew Swamp 'Super Ghost' in 2014
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) - Flower in Profile
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) - Flower in Profile
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii)
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii)
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii)
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii)
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii)
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii)
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii)
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii)

Description:
 

The Ghost Orchid is perhaps the most famous species of orchid in Florida, having been made popular by Susan Orlean's book, The Orchid Thief, and the movie "Adaptation", as well as the sides of U-Haul vans everywhere promoting the state of Florida. It is also one of the rarest, with only a few hundreds of known individuals growing in the area of the Big Cypress Swamp and adjacent areas (Fakahatchee Strand and Corkscrew Swamp). Finally, it is perhaps the most spectacular of the native orchids, owing to the large size of the flower, and the flower's presentation, arching out into space from a nearly non-existent plant to dangle in mid-air like some old bullfrog's long-forgotten ghost.

Botanically, this orchid is one of the trio of "leafless" orchids, all members of the Angraecoid group, which is part of the larger Vanda-Phalaenopsis alliance. The other two Floridian members of this group are Campylocentrum pachyrrhizum and Harrisella porrecta. The grey-green roots, covered with tiny silver "track marks", radiate out from the abbreviated growing center, which is also the source of the flower spikes.

Mature plants may not flower at all or will typically produce one flower during a season. Plants with more than one flower open are exceedingly rare. The largest known number of flowers borne at one time by a single plant was twelve, borne by the "Superghost" at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. You can see a photo taken at the tail end of this blooming (with six flowers still open) in the gallery above. The ghost orchid at Corkscrew Swamp is the only plant whose location is not kept a closely guarded secret, owing to the fact that it is quite far off the boardwalk and quite high up its host tree...anyone attempting to steal it would risk injury from other swamp patrons as they watched him or her attempt to leave the boardwalk and access the plant. It is well worth taking the effort to see the Corkscrew Swamp ghost orchid if you are able to make the trip during the July-August time frame when it typically blooms. Click the link below to find out more about the sanctuary (located near Naples, Florida):

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary

Dendrophylax lindenii was once commonly known by the name Polyrrhiza lindenii. Polyrrhiza was then split into two genera, Polyradicion (which included P. lindenii) and the original Dendrophylax (which included the Jamaican ghost, D. funalis). Eventually, however, all of these species were moved back into the genus Dendrophylax, which is the presently accepted scientific name for these species.

I have had the chance to see the "superghost" at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary during both its July and August bloomings in 2007, but deferred another visit in 2008 in lieu of an invitation to see ghost orchids in the Fakahatchee Strand, which is one of the most unique, beautiful, and challenging environments in which to observe native orchids. It is almost an overwhelming experience, having slogged through what seems like endless miles of swampland to chance upon a population of this species, their roots almost hidden in the mosses enveloping their host trees. Then, it happens, a plant is spied with an open flower, its crystalline white lip with its long legs and greenish petals and sepals hang there in space. The long spur arches gracefully from the back of the lip, the tip of which is filled with nectar to reward its pollinator, the Giant Sphinx Moth (Cocytius antaeus), for its effort in helping to preserve this species. It is a moment of singular breathless exhilaration viewing one of the rarest and most beautiful living things on earth!

Unfortunately, this endangered species is becoming a victim of its own popularity...plants that are lower than a very tall man's height (and even entire trees containing plants that grow higher than this) have been poached in recent years, making the use of a strong telephoto lens required to get "close enough" to see plants in flower. What is doubly tragic is that the poached plant will most likely die within the year and that cultivated plants of this species are quite easy to obtain at a reasonable price (please see the Links section of this website for several possible vendors carrying ghost orchid seedlings for sale). Poachers also risk stiff fines and even jail time for their actions, as this species is protected both by state law as an endangered species and the fact that it grows in state and federally protected public lands. In short, there is no reason whatsoever to poach plants from the wild! I cannot emphasize this point strongly enough.

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