It grows up to two metres high and its spectacular flowers are as large as a saucer, but giant swamp orchids are still hard to spot.
Considered one of the world's most endangered plant species with just 100 growing in the wild, Australian scientists are hopeful they've found the answer to propagating the orchid.
Griffith University's Professor Roderick Drew has used tissue from one giant swamp orchid to reproduce between 200 and 300 others in a laboratory.
"Orchids have tiny seeds, like particles of dust, and they are difficult to control and require very delicate handling," he said.
"But once you do manage to tissue culture an orchid, or any endangered plant for that matter, you can multiply it in the laboratory and go a long way towards saving it."
Plant tissue culture or micropropagation involves using cells from one plant and growing another in a light and temperature-controlled laboratory.
The lab orchids will be transferred to a nursery before being planted in the wild.
Giant swamp orchids, found in the coastal lowlands of southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales, grows to a height of almost two metres and is one of the largest species of terrestrial orchid in Australia.
Its red-brown flowers measure as much as 12cm wide and smell similar to jasmine.
Prof Drew says the populations of the plant are declining because people are so impressed by its size and beauty they dig it up or pick the flowers.
"They take them home and put them in pots and then wonder why they wither and die," he said.
"That's why building a reservoir of plants and then getting them out into safe areas where they can't be stolen is very important."
Plant tissue culture technology could be used to resurrect other endangered plant species, Prof Drew says.
Share
