Macodes petola

Macodes petola (previously Neottia petola [1]) is a species of jewel orchid endemic to South-East Asia including in Malaysia, New Guinea, Vanuatu, the Philippines and Sumatra.[2] Flowers from this species are small, with red-brown petals with a yellow edge and white lip and appear in the winter months. [2] Unlike the flower, the foliage on this plant is ornate and renders this plant of interest to botanical collectors. However, this plant is currently considered vulnerable (CITES status II) with restricted trade due to risk of over collection and use as a stimulant in Borneo traditional herbal medicine. [3][4][5] M. petola is found growing under varying conditions in the wild. The plant can be found growing at heights between 300-1600m above sea level typically in forest habitats with high humidity.

Representative specimen of Macodes petola with attractive dark green, striated foliage

Macodes petola
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Cranichideae
Genus: Macodes
Species:
M. petola
Binomial name
Macodes petola
(Blume) Lindl., 1840

Care and propagation

In cultivation, M. petola requires diffuse, indirect light and moderate to high humidity (>85%). Proper care conditions should mimic the plant’s natural habitat. Substrates suitable for the plant should be porous and well-draining and may include a mixture of leaf litter, sphagnum moss, coir and gravel. M. petola requires frequent watering and use of diluted fertilizer (1/4-1/8 dilution of typical orchid fertilizer).[6] M. petola can be propagated by asexual division; note that sterilized tools and media should be used to prevent infection with pathogenic fungi. Variants of this plant exhibit different patterns in vein coloration including var. petola with yellow veins, var. robusta which exhibits longitudinal veins only, and var. argenteoreticulata syn. var. javanica which exhibits white transverse connected with longitudinal veins.[4]

Botanical illustration of foliage and flower from Macodes petola
  1. "International Plant Names Index". www.ipni.org. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
  2. "Macodes petola (Jewel Orchid)". OrchidWeb. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
  3. "Tropicos | Name - Neottia petola Blume". legacy.tropicos.org. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
  4. "Culture of Macodes - Diamonds of the Jewel Orchids". raingreentropicals.com. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
  5. "Macodes petola | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
  6. "Macodes petola » Here But Not". Here But Not. 2018-08-03. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
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