Bulbophyllum Nocturnum: New Orchids Species

Orchids are beautiful flowers and usually bloom in the daytime. However, a new orchid species are unique and rare has been found by a specialist from the Netherlands, Ed de Vogel. The new species is named Bulbophyllum nocturnum was found on the island of New Britain, near Papua New Guinea.

Bulbophyllum nocturnum classified as special as it is the world's first orchid species that consistently blooms at night and shut down starting around noon. He is very different from the other 25 thousand species of orchids that have been there before.

De Vogel brought new species to the Netherlands to be cultivated in the Hortus Botanicus in Leiden. That was after he received permission to collect and bring these beautiful flowers from the cutting area on the island of New Britain.

In the Netherlands, de Vogel was able to observe the opening of the buds that occur at night. From his observations, de Vogel saw flowers blooming starts at 22:00 and closes again about 12 hours later. Flowers bloom only lasts one night and then fall.

Botanists are not yet sure why this species flowering after dark. But he estimates is likely due to their pollination occurs at night.

According to orchid expert from the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in London, Andre Schuiteman, this species is one of the few known types of flowers that bloom at night. Other types such as cactus, jasmine flowers and delicious evening.

"There are hundreds (which blooms at night), but little is known because it has been cultivated," said Schuiteman. "This is a shocking reminder that the invention can still happen."

"But it's a race against time to find such species which only occurs in the forest primeval," he continued. "As we all know, the forest is disappearing rapidly (because of the times)."