Cowl Bonnet
Pterygodium catholicum
Rather than nectar, this orchid produces a specialized floral oil from its hooded lip to reward its highly specific bee pollinators.
- Scientific name
- Pterygodium catholicum
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Liliopsida › Asparagales › Orchidaceae › Pterygodium
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- decreasing
- Biome
- grassland
- Habitat
- Fynbos, renosterveld, and coastal scrub, typically on clay or granite slopes and damp flats.
- Diet
- Autotrophic (photosynthetic), supplemented by nutrients from symbiotic soil fungi.
- Range
- South Africa, Western Cape, Eastern Cape
- Size
- 10-30 cm in height
- Lifespan
- Perennial (5-15 years via regenerating underground tubers)
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat loss from agriculture and urban development, invasive alien vegetation, and altered fire cycles.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. Walk carefully to avoid trampling these small orchids. Do not pick, damage, or attempt to transplant them, as they rely on highly specific soil fungi to survive and will die if removed from their habitat.
Photo: Tony Rebelo, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist
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