Brittle snail orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brittle snail orchid |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pterostylis
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| Species: |
timothyi
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The brittle snail orchid (scientific name: Pterostylis timothyi) is a special type of orchid that grows only in the south-west part of Western Australia. It is also known as the fawn snail orchid. This plant gets its name because its flowers look a bit like a snail's shell. It has a group of leaves at its base, and when it blooms, it grows a single flower that is green, fawn (a light brownish-yellow color), and white.
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What the Brittle Snail Orchid Looks Like
The brittle snail orchid is a perennial plant, which means it lives for more than two years. It's also a deciduous herb, meaning its leaves fall off at certain times of the year, and it doesn't have a woody stem. It grows from an underground tuber (like a small potato).
This orchid has a group of bright green, pointed leaves at its base, called a rosette. These leaves are about 5 to 11 millimeters (about 0.2 to 0.4 inches) long and 4 to 6 millimeters (about 0.16 to 0.24 inches) wide. They have clear veins.
A single flower grows on a stalk that is about 60 to 130 millimeters (about 2.4 to 5.1 inches) tall. The flower itself is bright green, fawn, and white. It is about 11 to 13 millimeters (about 0.43 to 0.51 inches) long and 3 to 4 millimeters (about 0.12 to 0.16 inches) wide.
The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, and the petals are joined together. They form a hood, or "galea," which covers the central part of the flower called the column. Both the sepal and petals have a sharp point at their ends. The side sepals stand upright and touch the galea. They have thin, thread-like tips that are about 12 to 18 millimeters (about 0.47 to 0.71 inches) long.
There's a small notch in the middle of the sinus (the space) between the side sepals, and this area is brownish. The labellum (a special petal that often acts as a landing platform for insects) is about 3 to 4 millimeters (about 0.12 to 0.16 inches) long and about 2 millimeters (about 0.08 inches) wide. It is hidden inside the flower. These orchids usually bloom in July and August.
How It Was Named
The brittle snail orchid was first officially described in 2006 by a botanist named David Jones. He first named it Linguella timothyi. This description was published in a scientific journal called Australian Orchid Research, based on a plant found near Jerramungup.
Later, in 2010, two other botanists, Jasmine Janes and Marco Duretto, changed its name to Pterostylis timothyi. The second part of its scientific name, timothyi, was chosen to honor Timothy Jones, who is David Jones's son.
Where It Lives
The brittle snail orchid grows in specific areas of Western Australia. You can find it in woodlands and heathlands between Hyden and Israelite Bay. These areas are part of different natural regions known as the Avon Wheatbelt, Esperance Plains, Jarrah Forest, and Mallee biogeographic regions.
How It's Protected
The Government of Western Australia's Department of Parks and Wildlife keeps track of how many of these plants exist. They have classified the brittle snail orchid as "not threatened." This means that, for now, there are enough of these orchids in the wild, and they are not considered to be in danger of disappearing.
