A New Color Variant of the Mycoheterotrophic Orchid Gastrodia fontinalis from Takeshima Island, Japan

Abstract

A new color variant of Gastrodia fontinalis f. albiflora from Takeshima Island, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, is described. The new form, G. fontinalis f. albiflora , is separated from G. fontinalis f. fontinalis only by coloration of the outer surface of the perianth tube (white vs. pale brown), the inflorescence (pale greenish brown vs. dark greenish brown), hypochile (whitish orange vs. red), and the epichile (whitish orange vs. brownish red). The ecological significance of this whitish form of Gastrodia fontinalis is also discussed.