Swamp elbow orchid facts for kids

The swamp elbow orchid (scientific name: Arthrochilus corinnae) is a special flowering plant. It belongs to the amazing orchid family. You can only find this orchid in the northern part of Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, Australia. This means it's endemic to that area, like a local celebrity plant!

It has a few dull bluish-green leaves near its base. Its flowers look a bit like insects and are pale green. They also have shiny yellowish spots called glands on a part of the flower called the labellum.

What the Swamp Elbow Orchid Looks Like

The swamp elbow orchid is a plant that grows from the ground. It's a perennial, meaning it lives for more than two years. It's also deciduous, so it loses its leaves at certain times. This plant grows from an underground part called a tuber. This tuber can also grow new "daughter" tubers on root-like parts called stolons.

Leaves of the Orchid

Plants that are not flowering have their leaves in a circle, like a rosette. Flowering plants have their leaves on a short side stem. There are usually two or three dull bluish-green leaves. Each leaf is about 5 to 25 mm (0.2 to 1 inch) long. They are also about 3 to 7 mm (0.1 to 0.3 inches) wide.

Flowers of the Orchid

The swamp elbow orchid has between three and twelve flowers on a tall stem. This stem can be 120 to 350 mm (4.7 to 13.8 inches) tall. Each flower looks a bit like an insect and is about 9 to 14 mm (0.4 to 0.6 inches) long.

Parts of the Flower

The top part of the flower is called the dorsal sepal. It's shaped like a narrow egg and is 8 to 11 mm (0.3 to 0.4 inches) long. It's about 2 mm (0.08 inches) wide. The side sepals are curved and about 5 to 6.5 mm (0.2 to 0.3 inches) long. They are also about 2 mm (0.08 inches) wide.

The petals are thin and curved. They are 6 to 7 mm (0.2 to 0.3 inches) long and about 1 mm (0.04 inches) wide. The petals and side sepals bend backward. The labellum is a special lip-like part of the flower. It's about 5.5 mm (0.2 inches) long and has a dark purple base.

Special Glands on the Labellum

The labellum has a part called a callus that looks like an insect. It's about 4 mm (0.16 inches) long. The middle of this part is covered with many shiny, yellowish-red, hair-like glands. The tip of the labellum is about 1.5 mm (0.06 inches) wide. It has shiny black glands. These orchids usually flower from November to February.

How the Orchid Got Its Name

The Arthrochilus corinnae was first officially described in 2004. This was done by a botanist named David Jones. He found a sample of the orchid on Cape York. The description was then published in a special magazine called The Orchadian.

Where the Orchid Lives

The swamp elbow orchid grows in low, wet, and swampy areas. You can find it on the Cape York Peninsula. It often grows near Melaleuca trees and Pandanus plants.

Reproduction and Life Cycle

Like other Arthrochilus orchids, the swamp elbow orchid needs help to make seeds. Male thynnid wasps of the genus Arthrothynnus help to pollinate it. We don't know the exact type of wasp yet. The orchid also has another way to reproduce. It can make new tubers underground. This allows it to grow new plants without needing seeds.