Native Orchids Of Fiji Home, The Collection, Go to Order Page, Mailing List

(Some) Native Orchids of Fiji Introduction

The terrestrial rain forest of oceanic high islands in Fiji is home to a myriad of color and gaudiest form of more than 1800 native vascular plant species. Such spectacle is often taken for granted by the locals but has never failed to intrigue and amaze wildlife enthusiasts who have been visiting our shores since the early 1800s. One such group of wildlife belongs to the plant family Orchidaceae, more commonly referred to as orchids.
The word orchid is associated with "sumptuous flower", with terms such as exotic, sexy, rare, expensive, beautiful, colorful and unique coming to mind. This family is the most varied and widespread with more than 30,000 species throughout the world, and where well over 100,000 hybrid strains have been artificially propagated. The orchid flower is what makes this plant different from all other flowering plants, especially the unbelievable variations in form and color. Many are astonishingly weird to have evolved to look like butterflies, bees, a fly and a swan. The perfume of some are unpleasant and maybe absent in others but in most of them there is an exquisite sweetness. They usually dominate (in terms of the number of genera) the higher plant flora of some other countries in the Pacific with similar flora as the upper Watuk region of Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and New Caledonia. The majority of orchids (over 80%) inhabit the cooler mountainous forests at altitudes of over 600m. Most are epiphytes, that is, they grow on trees for support and light.
The orchid flora of Fiji is represented by 65 genera with 164 native species, of which 51 are endemic (restricted to a region) to Fiji. Only a very small percentage of Fiji's native orchids are cultivated. Whilst the collection of popular species from the wild can threaten the survival of the wild orchid population, their main enemy is habitat destruction. Thus the protection of some of our remaining natural forest is the surest way to conserve these unique plants which are part of our natural heritage.
Calanthe ventilabrum Reichenb.

20c - Liparis layardii F. v. Muell.

65c - Dendrobium catillare Reichenb.

$1.10 - Dendrobium mohlianum Reichenb.

The genus Dendrobium has the largest number of species (21) in the orchid family. This species is also later known to occur on the Solomon Island, Vanuatu and Samoa. It was first discovered on Mt Voma, Namosi in 1860 by Seemann. It is an epiphyte and can grow up to 70cm in dense moist forest at elevations between 300m to 1300m. It is relatively common and can be distinguished by its bright orange to reddish orange colour. It is like the C. ventilabrum and is amongst one of the showiest and striking coloured orchids in Fiji's rain forest. The orchid flowers throughout the year.

$3.00 - Glomera montana Reichenb.

The species is also known to occur in Papua New Vanuatu and Samoa. It was first collected on Gau Island, in Lomaiviti in 1855 by William G. Milne a botanist and naturalist aboard the H.M.S. Herald. The plant is an epiphyte (at times, terrestrial), erects to 1.2m tall and can be found in moist, dense and stunted forests of high ridges at 600 to 1300m elevation. The flower-head comprises 6-15 flowers that are entirely white with a pink or red tinged distal portion of the labellum (lowest of the three petals). Flowers occur from September to February.

$0.20	$3.00
$1.10	$0.65

Home, Go to Order Page, The Collection, Mailing List