Unknown orchid hid in plain sight
It even grows in gardens - and yet it has only now been recognised. A new orchid species from Japan has surprised scientists.
With more than 30,000 species, orchids are one of the most diverse plant families. And numerous new species are described every year. However, the fact that a previously unknown species appeared in Japan of all places surprised botanists: the country's flora is considered to be very well studied. And yet Spiranthes hachijoensis was hiding in plain sight, as Kenji Suetsugu from Kobe University and his team write in the "Journal of Plant Research".
Until now, only one species from this genus was considered native to Japan: Spiranthes australis, which is widespread. However, during a field trip in 2015, Kenji Suetsugu discovered an unusual specimen in a grassland that superficially resembled Spiranthes australis, but on closer inspection revealed clear differences. Firstly, the petals deviated from the typical shape, and secondly, the plants had a hairless stem, although Sp. australis is actually covered.
Suetsugu and co therefore compared 28 specimens of the hairless orchids with 27 Spiranthes representatives from Japan, Laos and Taiwan. They also analysed the morphology, ecology, reproduction and DNA of the plants over several years until they were certain that they had discovered a previously unknown orchid. Among other things, Spiranthes hachijoensis flowers a month earlier than its relatives. Its flowers are small and white or pink to purple, arranged in a spiral around the central stem, but open weaker and less curved than is the case with other species.
Once it was clear that a new orchid species had been identified, the scientists investigated its distribution. In fact, it appears to be relatively common; it has been found in gardens and even as a balcony plant. The genome study suggests that it may have emerged relatively recently, which demonstrates the dynamics of species splitting in orchids, according to the scientists.
Among the newly discovered orchid species in recent years are many with spectacular flowers. Others, however, are tiny - or even downright ugly by human standards, as Gastrodia agnicellus from Madagascar shows: it was newly described in 2020. Its petals look like a screaming mouth.
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Header image: Masayuki Ishibashi
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