Adenochilus gracilis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Adenochilus gracilis |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Adenochilus gracilis near Makarora | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Adenochilus
|
| Species: |
gracilis
|
Adenochilus gracilis is a special kind of orchid plant that grows only in New Zealand. It's sometimes called the "dainty orchid" because of its delicate look. This plant has a long, thin underground stem called a rhizome. It grows a single leaf on its flowering stem and a beautiful white flower. The flower has tiny hairs on the outside and a special lip, called a labellum, which has red or maroon stripes and a yellow bumpy part.
Contents
Description
What Does Adenochilus gracilis Look Like?
Adenochilus gracilis is a plant that grows from the ground, not from a tree. It's a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years, and it's also deciduous, so its leaves fall off in certain seasons. This plant has a long, thin stem that grows sideways underground, called a rhizome.
It usually has one egg-shaped leaf, about 10 to 30 millimeters (0.4 to 1.2 inches) long, near the bottom of its flowering stem. There might be another similar leaf higher up the stem, but it doesn't have a stalk.
The Flower
A single white flower, about 10 to 20 millimeters (0.4 to 0.8 inches) wide, grows at the top of a stem that can be up to 200 millimeters (about 8 inches) tall. The outside of the flower's sepals (leaf-like parts that protect the bud) and petals (the colorful parts) are covered with short, sticky hairs.
The top sepal is shaped like a spear and forms a hood over the flower's lip (the labellum) and its central part (the column). This hood almost hides them. The side sepals spread out wide, and the petals look similar to the sepals.
The labellum (the special lip of the orchid) curves downwards and has three parts. The middle part is narrower and has red or maroon stripes. It also has two to four rows of yellow bumps, called calli, in a thick band in the middle. These orchids usually bloom between October and March.
Taxonomy and Naming
How Adenochilus gracilis Got Its Name
The plant Adenochilus gracilis was first officially described in 1853 by a scientist named Joseph Dalton Hooker. He wrote about it in a book called Flora Novae-Zelandiae.
The second part of its scientific name, gracilis, is a Latin word. It means "slender" or "dainty," which fits this delicate orchid very well!
Distribution and Habitat
Where Adenochilus gracilis Lives
This orchid likes to grow in thick layers of moss or in piles of partly rotted leaves in forests and areas with scrubby plants.
You can find Adenochilus gracilis on the North, South, Stewart, and Chatham Islands of New Zealand.
Images for kids
-
Habitat amongst dense layers of moss.
-
A side view, showing the green "hood."
-
The growth habit, with its singular, stem, leaf, and flower.
-
Two plants growing together near Makarora in Otago.
See also
In Spanish: Adenochilus gracilis para niños
