Bronze bird orchid facts for kids

The bronze bird orchid (scientific name: Chiloglottis × pescottiana) is a special type of orchid. It grows only in south-eastern Australia. This unique plant has two wide leaves. It produces a single flower that can be greenish-bronze or purplish-brown. A cool feature of its flower is a black, ant-like bump called a callus on its lip, known as the labellum. This orchid is a natural hybrid. It formed when two other orchid species, Chiloglottis valida and C. trapeziformis, crossed paths.

What Does It Look Like?

The bronze bird orchid is a perennial plant. This means it lives for more than two years. It is also a deciduous herb, so its leaves fall off each year. It grows from the ground, which makes it a terrestrial plant.

It has two leaves that are shaped like wide ovals or eggs. These leaves are about 30 to 60 millimeters (1.2 to 2.4 inches) long. They are also about 18 to 25 millimeters (0.7 to 1.0 inches) wide.

A single flower grows on a stem that is about 50 to 80 millimeters (2.0 to 3.1 inches) tall. The flower itself is about 14 to 18 millimeters (0.6 to 0.7 inches) long. It can be 20 to 30 millimeters (0.8 to 1.2 inches) wide. Its color can be greenish-bronze or purplish-brown.

Let's look closer at the flower parts:

• The top part, called the dorsal sepal, is shaped like a spatula. It is about 12 to 15 millimeters (0.5 to 0.6 inches) long.
• The two side parts, called lateral sepals, are narrow and pointed. They are about 15 to 18 millimeters (0.6 to 0.7 inches) long. They stand up at the bottom, then curve downwards.
• The petals are also narrow and pointed. They are about 12 to 15 millimeters (0.5 to 0.6 inches) long. They spread out from each other.
• The labellum is the orchid's lip. It is oval-shaped, about 10 to 14 millimeters (0.4 to 0.6 inches) long. It has a black, ant-like structure called a callus. This callus has a large "head" gland at its base.

You can usually see these orchids flowering from August to November.

How It Got Its Name

The bronze bird orchid was first officially described in 1918. A scientist named Richard Sanders Rogers gave it the name Chiloglottis pescottiana. He published his description in a scientific paper called Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria. He studied a sample of the plant found near Tallangatta.

The second part of its scientific name, pescottiana, honors "Mr. E. E. Pescott." He was the one who sent the first plant samples to Rogers. Later, in 1997, scientists confirmed that this orchid is indeed a hybrid. This means it is a mix of two different orchid species.

Where It Lives

The Chiloglottis × pescottiana orchid grows in open forests. It also likes coastal scrub areas. You can find it mostly in eastern Victoria. It also grows in the far south-east part of New South Wales.