Mini Orchids, Smallest Orchids of the World
A publication released on December 3, 2009 announced the
discovery of the smallest orchid – a mini orchid - ever found in the world. Being
very small, its measurement is just a bit over 0.08 inches or about 2
millimeters in its diameter. This mini orchid is almost transparent and was
found located in the roots of another plant flower in Ecuador , South America
by a group of scientists in a greenhouse.
It was Lou Jost, an ecologist who found this mini orchid in
his greenhouse after studying plants of this South American country which were
collected by his team a year earlier from mountainous forests. In fact, Ecuador jungles
are rich in biodiversity with a huge differentiation of plants.
In the area where this mini orchid was found, Jost and his
team also discovered some other 28 wild orchids from the Teagueia genus which
was an orchid group formerly assumed to include only 6 species. Ecuador is the
habitat of over 4,000 recognized species where about 1,000 of them were found
in recent 12 years.
The new found mini orchid is believed to be in the Platystele
genus. Scientific reviews on this new mini orchid are still ongoing. Although
this main orchid has be officially designated yet as a new species, but Carl
Luer who is an orchid expert from the Missouri Botanical Garden seems to have
the same opinion that this mini orchid is a unique species
The Misterious Mini Orchid from Indonesia
and Papua New Guinea
The record of being the smallest mini-orchid in the world
held by Ecuador
just last for only a few months. In early 2010, about 3 months later another
smaller mini orchid was found during an exploration in the Mentawai Islands ,
Indonesia .
This super mini orchid is believed to be in the Oberonia genus.
This Indonesian mini orchid measures only 1.1 – 1.5
millimeters in diameter and comes in orange colored flowers that blooms in
clusters with hundreds of flowers forming a spiral pattern along the stem.
However this newest mini orchid has not been officially
designated yet. It seems that there are some problems in the attempt to make
clear identification, especially due to insufficient information and recorded
data regarding this Oberonia genus.
Literatures and herbarium specimens which are required as a
reference for identification can be obtained in the British and Dutch herbaria,
since records in the Indonesian herbaria seems to be very limited. Literatures
about Oberonia genus were dominated by various journals issued in the middle of
the 19th century until the early years of the 20th century.
There was a long silence of publication, until 1997 when there
was a publication about a genus transfer of a Nepal orchid from genus Stelis to
genus Oberonia, hence the orchid name Stelis mucronata became Oberonia
mucronata. The discovery of this Nepal orchid – Stelis mucronata -
was once published in 1825. Another significant publication is the discovery of
a new species named Oberonia ensifolia in Sumatra Indonesia by J. B. Comber a British
taxonomist in 2001.
This Oberonia mini orchids generally possess very small flowers, hence they are perceived for having no commercial value by the orchid community, even by researchers who pay a very little attention to this pity genus. As a matter of fact, no scientifical reviews have been conducted inIndonesia since long ago making them the
mysterious mini orchids from Indonesia .
This Oberonia mini orchids generally possess very small flowers, hence they are perceived for having no commercial value by the orchid community, even by researchers who pay a very little attention to this pity genus. As a matter of fact, no scientifical reviews have been conducted in
So, which one is the smalles orchid? I think we have
to wait until scientific results will be officially announced. Another
question, are such mini orchids worth to be proud of, while the value of an
orchid lies in their beautiful flowers?
