Blue beard orchid facts for kids

The blue beard orchid (Calochilus caesius) is a special kind of orchid. It only grows in the Northern Territory in Australia. This orchid gets its name from the cool, bluish-red "beard" on its flowers. It has a single leaf, but you won't see it when the plant is flowering. Its flowers are usually pale green and don't last very long, sometimes only a few hours!

What Does the Blue Beard Orchid Look Like?

The blue beard orchid is a plant that grows in the ground. It's a perennial, meaning it lives for more than two years. It's also deciduous, which means it loses its leaves at certain times. This plant is a herb, so it doesn't have a woody stem like a tree. It grows from an underground tuber, which is like a small storage organ.

The orchid has one leaf that is about 100–200 mm (4–8 in) long and 3–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide. But remember, this leaf is not there when the plant is flowering.

The Flowers

The blue beard orchid can have up to five pale green flowers. Each flower is about 12–15 mm (0.5–0.6 in) long and 10–12 mm (0.4–0.5 in) wide. These flowers grow on a thin, wiry stem that is about 200–400 mm (8–20 in) tall.

• The dorsal sepal (the top part of the flower) is 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long and 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide.
• The lateral sepals (the side parts) are 6–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and about 4 mm (0.2 in) wide.
• The petals are 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long and 1.5–2.5 mm (0.06–0.1 in) wide.
• The labellum (the special lip of the orchid) is flat and colored pale green and red. It's about 12–13 mm (0.47–0.51 in) long and 3.5–5.5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide. This is where the "beard" is! Bluish-red hairs, up to 2 mm (0.08 in) long, cover about three-quarters of the labellum.
• The column (the central part of the flower) does not have the fake "eyes" that some other beard orchids have.

The blue beard orchid flowers from December to February. But each flower only lasts for a few hours, so you have to be quick to spot them!

How Was it Named?

The scientific name Calochilus caesius was first officially described in 2004. This was done by a botanist named David Jones. He published his description in a special magazine called The Orchadian. The plants he studied were collected near Darwin, at a place called Yarrawonga Swamp.

The second part of its name, caesius, is a Latin word. It means "bluish gray," which describes the color of its unique "beard."

Where Does it Live?

The blue beard orchid likes to grow in swampy areas. You can find it among rushes and sedges (grass-like plants) in the far north of the Northern Territory. Some of the places where it grows include Garig Gunak Barlu National Park, Kakadu National Park, and Melville Island.