GEODORUM | Herbarium Digital Library


» Herbarium Digital Library

GEODORUM

Category: Plants and Orchids
Date Posted: 2006-10-16

Geodorum nutans IS THE ONLY MEMBER OF THIS GENUS IN digenous to the Philippines. It is an insignificant species as far as horticulturists are concerned but of interest, however, because it is distributed so extensively throughout the Islands. Also this is one of the few native orchids which are put to use for other than decorative purposes. The genus, which is allied to Eulophia, -includes about eleven species distributed throughout southeast Asia and surrounding islands, as well as Samoa, Java, and Australia. The generic name Geodorum is probably derived from Latin gea, meaning "earth" in reference to its terrestrial nature.

The pseudo-bulbs of this native species are small subsurface, cornlike tubers about one to two inches across. The above surface portion of the plant has broad leaves and a single flower stem, which is produced from the center of the leafy growth during June and July. The leaves are about fifteen inches-fong, with a flower stem a little longer. The inflorescence is nodding with flowers that are clumped about its apex. This nodding or sharply hooked flower stem is characteristic of the species and is responsible for the specific name, nutans, which is derived from the Latin word nutare, meaning "nodding." The flowers of the species are extremely small, about three-quarters of an inch long and colored whitish and pink.

G. nutans is found quite generally throughout the lower altitudes of the various islands of the Archipelago, such as Luzon, Negros, Mindanao, and Samar. Throughout Luzon it can be collected along the roadsides and banks, where it grows in either part or almost full shade. In central Luzon, particularly the province of Pangasinan, the tubers of this plant are used as a disinfectant, while in the northern Luzon provinces of Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur a mucilage is prepared from the tubers for use in gluing guitars or other similar musical instruments.