quick question about macodes petola - Orchid Board

falconxvi · #1 10-02-2009, 01:47 PM

okay so here is the deal, i have a macodes at my house right now. i am also a college student currently attending school in Kansas, majoring in botany. i was sitting in my botany class while my prof was lecturing over leaves. it occurred to me that jewel orchids in general (macodes petola more apparent) have something i have never seen. that is the actual "jewel" area or the shiney areas on the veins. what is the overall function of this? is it to catch the sunlight and direct it towards the more photosynthetic areas of the leaf? or is it more of an attracting mechanism so that organisms in the area see the plant? (such as in some poisonous snakes) and know that the plant itself is in fact poisonous...truth be told i never quite thought about the over all biology of my little jewel. any help would be greatly appreciated.

falconxvi · #2 10-02-2009, 02:13 PM

forgot to add a picture, lol

jaxorchidman · #3 10-02-2009, 02:17 PM

Very wicked!!! And cool looking. Might need to add it to the wish list. How is it poisonous??? By eating touching???

falconxvi · #4 10-02-2009, 06:51 PM

i do not know, i was wondering if being poisonous may be it, or if the veins served another purpose, well besides the obvious vascular nature. i do not believe that would be poisonous (or not to us at least) or else they would not sell it, but then again other poisonous plants are sold i guess...

King_of_orchid_growing:) · #5 10-02-2009, 10:25 PM

Have you ever looked at the leaf using photomicrography?

I think your answer can be gathered through the use of a color micrograph.

I suspect it's either the plant's trichomes or waxes reflecting light off the leaf. I know it's not a spectacular speculation for an answer. But I'm just guessing that it's nothing more than an elaborate way to shade itself from too much sun. There might be other advantages as well, but other than attracting potential pollinators that may be attracted to low level flashing lights, I have no idea what that would be.

Although, there may be some complex biochemical reactions or secretions occurring on the leaf of Macodes petola, I don't believe the sparkling veins are the result of a phytotoxin as potent as venom, hemlock, or nightshade.

Again I'm just speculating, I haven't found a scientific article that addresses your question.

King_of_orchid_growing:) · #6 10-02-2009, 10:36 PM

I looked up Macodes petola images and looked up the flowers...

Guess what the lip looks like from the side...

A firefly.

Complete with pale body, legs, head, and a protruding glowstick looking abdomen.