The face of the devil? No, this is a new species of orchid – Gazeta Wyborcza

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The newly discovered species of orchid - Telipogon diabolicus. Its unusual name from the resemblance to the face of the devil. (fot. Monika Kolanowska)

                  
                  
                  

                  
             

             
   
   
   
 
 
 
 

Polish researcher from the University of Gdansk found a new species of orchid. Its unusual name - Telipogon diabolicus - flower owes prętosłupa structure, which resembles the face of the devil.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                          
 

                 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

         

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The orchid should be around 25 thousand. perennial species, thereby forming one of the largest families in the world. There are 2 times as much as the known species of birds and more than four times the number of mammal species. Except Antarctica they can be found on every continent, except for areas covered with glaciers. The most species are found in tropical zones, including in South America.

It was there, during fieldwork in southern Colombia, Polish researcher Dr. Marta Kolanowska from the Department of Plant Taxonomy and Nature Conservation at the Faculty of Biology of the University of Gdansk, with colleagues from the foundation Buenoy Yumartán Aldea Ecológica, has found a new species of orchid.

the team prepared the documents discovered orchids, during which carried pictures of selected specimens, reported location data, altitude, defined populations. Based on the analysis of the collected materials are described several previously unknown species of orchids, among others Telipogon diabolicus . This name refers to the construction of prętosłupa resulting from the fusion of the post and the rod, which resembles the face of the devil.

Due to the location of the only known population (near the main road linking the cities of Pasto and Mocoa) and the sensitivity of alpine formations plant on climate change orchid has been classified as critically endangered.

South Colombia has become in recent years the object of interest of these researchers because of the large diversity of Habitats of the region. The low degree of recognition of the flora of this area testifies to find so unusual species near the main road. This means that many more species of orchids can not wait to be discovered. In the past three years the staff and PhD students of the Department of Plant Taxonomy and Nature Conservation have described more than 50 species of orchid previously unknown to science, and occurring in the area of ​​Colombia.

The most intriguing question concerning the newly discovered orchid remains aspect of its pollination. Previous studies indicate that in orchids of the genus Telipogon pollinia are transmitted by insects during pseudokopulacji (pollinia are attached to the body male insect, when he tries to copulate with the flower reminded him of the female), but not published until now materials confirming this assumption. It would be extremely interesting to observe the insect, which "diabolical" prętosłup reminds his female species.

It is worth noting that many species of orchid looks like a variety of animals and characters. Good examples are the Dracula simia resembling a monkey, Ophrys bomybliflora resembling a bumblebee laughing or Habenaria radiata reminiscent of the white heron.

         

         

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