Propagation characteristics of Odontochilus hatusimanus, an endangered orchidaceous plant: From the results of investigations in 1999 and 2004
2005
Umata, H.(Kagoshima Univ. (Japan). Faculty of Agriculture) | Matsuno, Y. | Matsumoto, M. | Maeda, T.
Between 1999 and 2004 a study was carried out to investigate the propagation characteristics of Odontochilus hatusimanus, an endangered orchidaceous plant categorized in the IA group (CR) by the Red Data Book of Japan. The following results were obtained. 1. Over five years there was a drastic decrease of 40% in the number of orchids. The decrease might have been caused by natural succession or the extremely limited location. 2. The orchids made a colony in 1999 and 2004. The distance between the two colony centers was about 3.5m. Because the orchids did not show root or rhizome development of 70cm a year, it was concluded that each colony must have originated from a different source. The colony might transfer its location discontinuously and dynamically. 3. The colony of l999 disappeared until 2004 and only one new orchid grew in that colony. 4. The orchids formed coralloid rhizomes in addition to roots at the base of leafy stem. Fungal pelotons were observed within cortical cells of the root and the rhizome, suggesting that the rhizome is the main organ of mycorrhizal symbiosis. 5. The orchids propagate not only by means of seeds but also by means of the rhizomes. 6. The orchids produced from one to seven leaves and an average of four. The leafy stem became longer with the increase in leaf number and the average length was 3.2 cm. The orchids with inflorescences had four to five or more leaves. 7. It was concluded that the orchids above ground were live les5 than six years.
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