130-Year Orchid Mystery Solved with Discovery of Unique Self-Pollination Mechanism

A Kobe University botanist uncovers how the orchid Stigmatodactylus sikokianus uses a finger-like appendage to ensure reproduction in pollinator-scarce environments.

The orchid Stigmatodactylus sikokianus, named in 1889 for its finger-like stigma appendage, has been revealed to self-pollinate using this structure after a 130-year mystery.
Kobe University botanist Suetsugu Kenji discovered that the appendage acts as a bridge between the stigma and pollen-carrying anther, enabling fertilization three days after the flower opens.
This delayed self-pollination allows the orchid to prioritize cross-pollination opportunities before resorting to selfing as a reproductive fail-safe.
The plant thrives in dimly lit forest understories with scarce pollinators, highlighting its evolutionary adaptation to challenging environments.
The findings emphasize the value of integrating taxonomy, ecology, and evolutionary biology to uncover novel botanical phenomena and were published in the journal Plants, People, Planet.