Bamboo Orchid

The Bamboo Orchid (Arundina graminifolia) is a the only species in the genus Arundina of the orchid family Orchidaceae, subfamily Epidendroideae, tribe Arethuseae, subtribe Bletiinae.

This tropical Asiatic orchid extends from India, Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, South China to Indonesia and across the Pacific Islands. It has been introduced in Puerto Rico, Costa Rica and Panama.

The Bamboo Orchid is a terrestrial multiperennial orchid with reedy stems, forming into large clumps growing to a height between 70 cm and 2 m.

The plaited linear leaves are oblong lanceolate, with a length of 9 to 19 cm and a width of 0.8 to 1.5 cm. The apex is acuminate. There are amplexicaul (clasping the stem) sheathing stipules.

This orchid blooms in summer and autumn, showing rather open clusters of showy terminal flowers, ten at the most. They bloom in succession on the terminal racemes, which are 7 to 16 cm long. These flowers, 5 – 8 cm in diameter, are a rosy lilac and white disk with a purple lip. The bracts are wide triangular and surround the main stalk of the flower cluster.

With only 200 of the plant has been recorded to be growing naturally in Singapore, the specie is close to extinction there, largely caused by the destruction of its natural habitat, namely the rainforests and mangrove forests. The remaining plants, commonly called Tapah weeds, can be found in the secondary forests or at the forest fringes.