Sage orchid facts for kids

The Brachypeza archytas, also known as the sage orchid, is a special type of orchid. It grows on other plants, like trees, but it doesn't harm them. This is called being an epiphytic plant.

This orchid is found only in one place: Christmas Island. This island is an Australian territory in the Indian Ocean. The sage orchid has many roots that look like cords. It also has four or five leaves that spread out like a fan. It produces many small, white flowers that don't last very long.

What Does the Sage Orchid Look Like?

The sage orchid has short stems. These stems are often hidden by its aerial roots. It has four or five leaves that are shaped like straps. These leaves are about 100–220 mm (4–9 in) long. They are also about 16–25 mm (0.6–1 in) wide. The leaves are arranged like the blades of a fan.

Many small, white flowers grow on an arching stem. This stem can be 150–350 mm (6–10 in) long. Each flower is about 8–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long and 6–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide. The flowers are crowded together.

Each flower has different parts. The top part is called the dorsal sepal. It is about 8 mm (0.3 in) long. The side parts are called lateral sepals. They are about 6 mm (0.2 in) long. The petals are smaller than the sepals. The special lower petal is called the labellum. It is about 3 mm (0.1 in) long. This labellum has three parts, called lobes. The side lobes are round. They often have purple marks on them.

The sage orchid blooms from October to April. But its flowers only last for one or two days. Sometimes, the flower buds even fall off before they open.

How Did the Sage Orchid Get Its Name?

The sage orchid was first officially described in 1891. A scientist named Henry Nicholas Ridley gave it a name. He called it Saccolabium archytas. He wrote about it in a science journal.

Later, in 1972, another scientist changed its name. Leslie Andrew Garay renamed it Brachypeza archytas. The second part of its name, archytas, comes from an old Greek philosopher. His name was Archytas.

Where Does the Sage Orchid Live?

The Brachypeza archytas orchid is found only on Christmas Island. It is quite common there. You can often find it in the rainforests. It especially likes the lower parts of the island. It often grows on the lower trunks of big trees. Some of these trees are Tristiropsis acutangula and Gyrocarpus americanus.