During a routine survey in 2020, the National Parks Board (NParks) said on Wednesday that a specimen of the Claderia lentocampus was first collected by Botanic Garden researchers in the Republic of Singapore. A new species of orchid discovered in Singapore has been named Merlion.
NParks added that the plant which later flowered in cultivation bore small, pendulous cream-yellow flowers that differed from the upright, bright green flower of the Claderia viridiflora. Lentocampus means Merlion in Greek. The orchid genus Claderia had only 2 known species, the Claderia viridiflora and Claderia papuana, before the new species of orchid was discovered. The new species, the Claderia lentocampus could also be found in Peninsular Malaysia, Indonesia and Sumatra said NParks. It grows locally in old secondary lowland forest, on well drained soil.
In comparson with Claderia viridiflora which has been recorded 7 times, Claderia lentocampus has only been recorded twice – in 2020 and in 2022 during an 8 year period of recording the Claderia population. The agency stated that since its population size is not known, the species is likely to be under recorded owing to its almost identical appearance to the Claderia viridiflora when sterile. Prior to this, the last discovery of a new species of orchid was in 2019, of the Nervilia singaporensis by the Singapore Botanic Gardens’ researchers at Bukit Timah, Nature Reserve, added NParks. The orchid genus Nervilia was thought previously to be extinct in Singapore.
Desmond Lee, National Development Minister said on Tuesday in a Facebook post that it was heartening to see that new discoveries continue to be made even for widely studied plant groups such as orchids, in Singapore. Mr. Lee further state that such efforts continue the tradition of the researchers of the Gardens, leading the study of native plant species, affirming the significance of conservation strategies in safeguarding the rich biodiversity of the city of Singapore in nature.
