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Orchids in Singapore
Orchids are some of the most beautiful flowering plants. They grow in many different environments, from near deserts to deeply shaded forests, nooks and crannies in rock to grasslands.
With over 800 genera and around 28,00 species, orchids are on every continent of the world, apart from Antarctica, and there is a lot more to orchids than a single stem on a piece of bark you might get given at Christmas.
Their forms vary: some resemble daffodils or tulips — until you look closely — and others have specialised shapes to encourage pollination. The aptly named ‘bee orchid ’, for example ( Ophrys apifera), resembles the form of a female bee, and it even gives off a scent that is similar to the pheromones a female bee produces. Male bees (naturally Eucera longicornis) try to mate with the ‘female’ (the flower) and therefore distribute and collect pollen produced in the flowers. Others offer nectar for long-tongued moths and birds, which pollinate them in the process of drinking the rich nectar. I was lucky enough to visit the World Orchid Exhibition in Singapore’s Botanic Gardens and found a dazzling display of colour, forms and sizes.Some species emit scent at night — like the Brassavola species — these are pollinated at night, and most are of a creamy colour, easily seen by moths.
In order to germinate, orchid seeds need symbiotic fungi. This is because they…
