Orchids: Why and How?

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Orchids Why and How?

• S P Vij
• 
  FNASc, FLS, FPASc
• NASI Senior Scientist Platinum Jubilee Fellow
• Botany Department, Panjab University, Chandigarh

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ORCHIDS
Cosmopolitan
Highly diverse, evolved, under active speciation
Post pollination development of ovules
Inherently slow growers, habitat specific
Pollination related floral complexities
Non-endospermic, minute seeds, reduced embryos
Ill-defined barriers of reproductive isolation
Mycotrophic
8 flowering plant species 60 Monocots
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ORIGIN
Poor Fossil History Antholithes, Paleorchis,
Protorchis, Orchidacites
Where
When
South East Asia
80-40 million years ago
Cretaceous
Coenozoic
Paleocene
Eocene
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Proplebeia domoinicana carrying Meliorchis
caribea pollen load
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ANCESTRY
Suggested Ancestors
Bromeliaceae Commelinaceae Iridaceae
Burmaniaceae Hypoxidaceae
Asparagales Liliales
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HABIT
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HABITAT
Terrestrial
Lithophytic
Epiphytic
Subterranean

• Major speciation around epiphytic mode
• Substratum dynamics and adaptive flexibility
• 73 species epiphytes

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FLOWERS

• Myriad sizes, shapes, colours
• Labellum
• Compound pollen
• Resupination
• Non-resupinated
  Caleana,Malaxis,
• Oberonia, Satyrium
• Bisexual
• Unisexual
• Catasetum,Cycnoches,
• Satyrium

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FLORAL EVOLUTION
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MYCOTROPHY
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CARNIVORE !
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MYRMECOTROPHY

• Mutualistic Association
• Ants
• Disperse seeds, pollen
• Provide nutrition
• Ward off herbivores
• Orchids
• Provide shelter
• Extra-floral nectar

All visiting ants not pollinators
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POLLINATION

• Cleistogamy Phaius tankervillae, Zeuxine
  membranacea
• Chasmogamy most orchids
• Autogamy several terrestrial orchids (Ophrys)
• Allogamy most orchids

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ALLOGAMY

• Entomophily (insects) Most orchids
• Melittophily (bees/wasps)
  Catasetum 60
• Myophily (flies) Disa lugens 15
• Phalaenophily (moths) Brassavola nodosa 8
• Psychophily (butterflies) Disa uniflora 3
• Ornithophily (Birds) Comparettia falcata 3
• Cantarophily (beetles) Herminium monorchis
• Myrmecophily (ants) Microtis
  parviflora 8
• Batrachophily (frogs) Lissochilus roseus
• Monophily Many orchids
• Promiscuity Some orchids

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ATTRACTANTS

• Nectar (nectar tubes, spurs)
• Glucose, fructose, sucrose
• Callus masses (unicellular trichomes, papillae,
  scales)
• Starch, proteins, oil drops, fragrance
• Colours Odours Pollinator(s)
• Several (seldom red) Sweet Bees
• Bright red, orange, yellow Pleasant Butterflie
  s
• Pale-green, cream, white Sweet, strong Moths
• Bright, yellow, red, pink None Birds
• Yellow, green, red, purple Sweet Flies

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DECEITS

• Pseudonectaries Odontoglossum kegeljani
• Pseudopollen Maxillaria, Polystachya
• Simulation of fungus Cypripedium
  debile, Corybas, Dracula
• Simulation of sexual Cryptostylis,
  Ophrys,
• partners
  Trichoceros, Oncidium
• pseudocopulation
• (preferentially directed
  towards male insects
• due to their weaker
  feeding instincts)

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ORCHID POLLINATORS

• Sub-Family Pollinators
• Apostasioideae
  Not known
• Cypripedioideae Bees, flies
• Neottioideae Fungal gnats, wasps, bees,
• Orchidoideae Moths, butterflies, bees, wasps
• Epidendroideae Bees, wasps, butterflies,
  flies, moths, ants, fungal gnats,
  beetles, birds
• 
  pseudocopulation

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ROBBERS
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THERAPEUTICALLY IMPORTANT ORCHIDS
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Floricultural importance

• FLOWERS
• Intricately fabricated
• Long-lasting
• Beautiful, fragrant
• Colourful
• myriad shapes, sizes

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VALUE ADDITION

• Hybridization
• pollen transfer in toto
• seeds numerous
• suppressed development of endosperm
• gt100,000 man-made hybrids
• Control of flower induction
• Genetic transformations

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Floral excellence
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Some Facts About Orchids

• First discovery of nucleus Robert Brown,
  1833
• Largest Flower Paphiopedilum
  sanderianum (176.6 cm)
• Tallest orchid Sobralia
  altissima (41/)
• Most floriferous orchid Ceratostylis
  rubra (3000 flowers in 425
• 
  inflorescences)
• Subterranean orchid Rhizanthella
• Carnivorous orchid
  Schomburgkia tibicinis
• Maximum no. of seeds Cycnoches
  chlorochilon
• Maximum days for fruit Cymbidium
  (550)
• development

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• THANK YOU