Morphological and Transcriptome Analysis of the Near-Threatened Orchid Habenaria radiata with Petals Shaped Like a Flying White Bird.

ABSTRACT: Orchids have evolved flowers with unique morphologies through coevolution with pollinators, such as insects. Among the floral organs, the lip (labellum), one of the three petals, exhibits a distinctive shape and plays a crucial role in attracting pollinators and facilitating pollination in many orchids. The lip of the terrestrial orchid Habenaria radiata is shaped like a flying white bird and is believed to attract and provide a platform for nectar-feeding pollinators, such as hawk moths. To elucidate the mechanism of lip morphogenesis, we conducted time-lapse imaging of blooming flowers to observe the extension process of the lip and analyzed the cellular morphology during the generation of serrations. We found that the wing part of the lip folds inward in the bud and fully expands

SUBMITTER: Takeda S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11820888 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature