Alpine midge orchid facts for kids

The alpine midge orchid (scientific name: Genoplesium turfosum) is a tiny, special type of orchid. It only grows in a small area high up in New South Wales, Australia. This little plant has a single thin leaf that's joined to its flower stem. It can have up to 25 dark purplish-red flowers that grow close together. These flowers have a special lip-like part called a labellum that has a few hairs.

What it Looks Like

The alpine midge orchid is a plant that grows from an underground tuber (like a small potato). It's a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It's also deciduous, so its leaves might fall off at certain times.

It has one thin leaf with a purplish bottom. This leaf is about 50–130 mm (2–5 in) long. Most of the leaf is joined to the flowering stem, with only a small part, about 8–12 mm (0.3–0.5 in) long, sticking out freely.

The plant grows to be about 60–150 mm (2–6 in) tall. Along its flowering stem, which is 8–20 mm (0.3–0.8 in) long, you'll find between two and twenty-five flowers. These flowers are crowded together and point downwards.

Flower Details

The flowers are dark purplish-red and about 4 mm (0.2 in) wide. Like other orchids in its group, these flowers are "inverted." This means their labellum (the special lip) is above the column (the central part of the flower) instead of below it.

• The dorsal sepal (the top part of the flower) is shaped like a line or an egg. It's about 3.5 mm (0.1 in) long and 2 mm (0.08 in) wide. It's reddish-purple with darker stripes.
• The lateral sepals (the two side parts) are shaped like lines or spear tips. They are about 4.5 mm (0.2 in) long and 1.5 mm (0.06 in) wide. They spread out wide from each other.
• The petals are also shaped like lines or eggs. They are about 3 millimetres (0.1 in)^* long and 1.5 millimetres (0.06 in)^* wide, with dark stripes.
• The labellum is the most noticeable part. It's shaped like a line or an egg, about 5.5–6 millimetres (0.22–0.24 in)^* long and 3.5 millimetres (0.1 in)^* wide. It has a few rough, blackish hairs on its edges, up to 1.5 millimetres (0.06 in)^* long. There's also a dark purplish-black raised area called a callus in the middle of the labellum, almost reaching its tip.

These orchids usually bloom in November and December.

Naming the Orchid

The alpine midge orchid was first officially described in 1991 by a botanist named David Jones. This description was published in a scientific paper called Australian Orchid Research.

Later, in 2002, David Jones and Mark Clements changed its scientific name to Corunastylis turfosa. The second part of its name, turfosum (or turfosa), comes from a Latin word. It means "peaty" or "boggy." This name was chosen because of where this orchid likes to grow.

Where it Lives

You can find the alpine midge orchid growing in wet, boggy areas. It often grows among thick sedges (grass-like plants) in the Kosciuszko National Park in New South Wales.