American Ghost orchid: A rare flower plant which performs photosynthesis through its roots

You must have seen orchids in your nurseries and even at home. The thrill of seeing these flowering plants is unparalleled, thanks to their variety, beauty and fragrance. What if we told you that there exists a type of orchid that looks like a ghost? We are talking about American ghost orchids here, scientifically known as Dendrophylax lindenii. But what gives them this out-of-the-world appearance? These leafless flowering plants native to Cuba, Florida and the Bahamas–-the regions with high temperatures and humidity –-come with white blooms and appear to be suspended in the air. Want to know more? Read on.  

Ghost orchids appear once a year 
That’s right. Ghost orchids typically bloom only once annually for a few weeks between June and August.  At times they even take a year off. Interestingly, as few as 10 per cent of the buds may bloom in a given year, and of those, as few as 10 per cent may be pollinated. Now you can understand why it is so rare, right? Moreover, its natural habitat is getting destroyed because of multiple reasons and that is making it even rarer. Poaching, habitat loss and degradation, as well as climate crisis, are some of the primary threats being faced by the flower.  

They have scales, not leaves  
The ghost orchid is ‘leafless’ as its leaves have been reduced to scales. In fact, when the plants mature, they are completely left without foliage. They also have reduced stems, which is often hard to see as they are naturally camouflaged. In place of leaves and a stem, the ghost orchid plant consists mostly of roots, which grow on the bark or large boughs of another living tree. But American ghost orchids use the host plant only for physical support. So, where do they get water and nutrients from? From the atmosphere.  

This takes us to the next question: How does the plant perform photosynthesis, if it lacks leaves? Well, that is again a job done by the roots. Since the roots contain the necessary chlorophyll required for photosynthesis, leaves become non-essential. As for respiration, that function too is performed by the roots that have tiny white pores used for gas exchange.  

The flowers appear to be floating 
When the flower is not blooming, the roots blend in with the bark of another tree, camouflaging it often. As a result, even if you get close enough to it, you may not be able to spot the flower. However, when they do bloom, then also then appear like a thin spike extending outwards from the roots that often disappear into the surrounding. This often makes the flowers appear like they are floating mid-air, almost like a ghost does. Hence the bizarre name.  

Although ghost orchid is undoubtedly its most popular name, the plant is also known as "palm polly" or the "white frog orchid," a reference to the pair of long, lateral tendrils from its lower petal that vaguely resemble the hind legs of a frog. 

Has a single pollinator, but....  
Another reason why this flower is so rare and mysterious is that it doesn’t have many pollinators unlike most flowers. In fact, it is often believed that it has one pollinator only, which is the giant sphinx moth, native only to South and Central Americas. This insect has extra-long-tongues (proboscis) that help reach the pollens hidden deep within the flowers. But wait. That isn’t the end of story. Scientists have recently discovered that these moths only steal nectar from the flower and then pass them on to two other cousin moth species called fig sphinx moth and pawpaw sphinx. They, in turn, go and pollinate them. It’s as if they are dividing the chores among themselves. Nature never fails to amaze us, isn’t it?