Glaucous truffle orchid facts for kids

Arthrochilus lavarackianus, also known as the glaucous truffle orchid, is a special type of flowering plant. It belongs to the orchid family. This orchid is found only in the Torres Strait islands and Tropical North Queensland in Australia.

The glaucous truffle orchid has one or two bluish-green leaves near its base. It can grow up to fifteen greenish flowers. These flowers look a bit like insects. They have red dots, called glands, on their mushroom-shaped lip, which is called a labellum. Some experts also know this plant by another name: Phoringopsis lavarackiana.

What the Glaucous Truffle Orchid Looks Like

The glaucous truffle orchid is a plant that grows on the ground. It lives for many years and loses its leaves each year. It grows new shoots from an underground stem called a tuber. This tuber also produces new tubers at the end of root-like stems called stolons.

The plant usually has one or two bluish-green leaves. They are long and narrow, like a spear. The leaves are typically 50 to 200 mm (2 to 8 inches) long and 5 to 15 mm (0.2 to 0.6 inches) wide. One leaf is often bigger than the other.

Its Unique Flowers

The orchid grows a flowering stem that is 100 to 300 mm (4 to 12 inches) tall. Along this stem, there are usually three to fifteen greenish flowers. Each flower is about 14 to 16 mm (0.55 to 0.63 inches) long and looks like an insect.

The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, is shaped like a spoon. It is 8 to 9 mm (0.31 to 0.35 inches) long and about 2 mm (0.08 inches) wide. It curves forward. The side parts, called lateral sepals, are 6 to 7 mm (0.24 to 0.28 inches) long and about 1 mm (0.04 inches) wide. The petals are very thin, 7 to 8 mm (0.28 to 0.31 inches) long and about 0.5 mm (0.02 inches) wide. The petals and side sepals bend backward and are hard to see.

The most interesting part is the labellum, which is the orchid's lip. It is shaped like a mushroom, 6 to 7 mm (0.24 to 0.28 inches) long and about 2.5 mm (0.1 inches) wide. It sits above the rest of the flower. This labellum has a special part called a callus, which is about 2.5 mm (0.1 inches) long. It looks like a mop and is covered with spiky, hair-like glands. The tip of the callus is like a strap, about 3 mm (0.12 inches) long.

The central part of the flower, called the column, is about 2.5 mm (0.1 inches) long and has two pairs of small wings. These orchids bloom from January to August.

How it Got its Name

The glaucous truffle orchid was first officially described in 2004. This means it was given a scientific name and details about it were written down. The botanist David Jones named it Phoringopsis lavarackiana. He found a sample of the plant on Moa Island. This description was published in a magazine called The Orchadian.

Later, in 2006, another botanist named Bill Lavarack changed its name. He renamed it Arthrochilus lavarackianus, which is the name it is known by today.

Where the Orchid Lives

You can find the glaucous truffle orchid growing in bushy areas. It lives on Moa Island and in Tropical North Queensland. Its range extends as far south as the Mutjati country near Shelburne Bay.

Reproduction and Life Cycle

Like other Arthrochilus orchids, the glaucous truffle orchid relies on insects for pollination. It is pollinated by male thynnid wasps. These wasps belong to a group called Arthrothynnus. We don't know the exact species of wasp that pollinates this specific orchid yet.

Besides being pollinated by wasps, this orchid can also make new plants on its own. It does this by growing new tubers underground. This is a way for the plant to reproduce without needing seeds.