Ben Lomond leek orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ben Lomond leek orchid |
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The Ben Lomond leek orchid (scientific name: Prasophyllum stellatum) is a very special type of orchid. It grows only in Tasmania, Australia. This rare plant has a single, dark green leaf that looks like a tube. Its flowers are greenish-brown or brownish, and they have a white part called a labellum. You can only find this orchid in two separate areas in Tasmania: near Ben Lomond and close to Deloraine.
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What Does the Ben Lomond Leek Orchid Look Like?
The Ben Lomond leek orchid is a plant that lives for many years. It grows from an underground tuber (like a small potato). It has one dark green, tube-shaped leaf. This leaf can be about 30 to 70 centimeters (12 to 28 inches) long. It is about 4 to 5 millimeters (0.16 to 0.20 inches) wide near its dark red or purple base.
This orchid grows a flowering stem that can be 40 to 80 centimeters (16 to 31 inches) tall. Along this stem, there are usually ten to twenty flowers. These flowers are greenish-brown to brownish and are about 14 to 18 millimeters (0.55 to 0.71 inches) wide.
Like other leek orchids, its flowers are upside down. This means the labellum (a special petal) is above the column (the part with the pollen). The top petal, called the dorsal sepal, is shaped like a spear or narrow egg. It is about 9.5 to 11 millimeters (0.37 to 0.43 inches) long. The side petals, called lateral sepals, are about 10 to 12 millimeters (0.39 to 0.47 inches) long and spread wide apart.
The other petals are narrow and brown with white edges. They are about 11 to 12 millimeters (0.43 to 0.47 inches) long. The labellum is white and shaped like a long oval. It is about 12 to 14 millimeters (0.47 to 0.55 inches) long. This labellum bends sharply backward in the middle. Its edges are crinkled. There is also a greenish-yellow, fleshy bump in its center. The orchid usually flowers from January to March.
How Did It Get Its Name?
The Ben Lomond leek orchid was first officially described in 1998. A botanist named David Jones found a sample of it on Ben Lomond. He published its description in a book called Australian Orchid Research.
The scientific name, stellatum, comes from a Latin word. It means "starry" or "starred." This name was chosen because the petals and sepals of the flower spread out widely, like the points of a star.
Where Does It Live?
The Ben Lomond leek orchid is only found in two separate areas in Tasmania. One group of these orchids grows on private land near Storys Creek, which is on Ben Lomond. The other group lives in a state forest called Cluan Tiers, near Deloraine. These orchids prefer to grow in forests that have shrubs or grassy areas underneath the trees.
Why Is It Endangered?
In 2011, experts estimated there were only about 70 Ben Lomond leek orchids left. Because there are so few, this orchid is considered "Endangered" under Tasmania's Threatened Species Protection Act 1995. It is also listed as "Critically Endangered" by the Australian government's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) Act.
The main dangers to this orchid are:
- Forestry activities: Things like logging can harm its habitat.
- Disturbance: Any actions that upset its growing areas can be a problem.
- Fire: The wrong kind of fires can damage or destroy the plants.
