Bronze caps facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bronze caps |
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| Caladenia iridescens near Woodend | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Caladenia
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| Species: |
iridescens
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| Synonyms | |
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Stegostyla iridescens (R.S.Rogers) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. |
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Caladenia iridescens, often called bronze caps or bronze caladenia, is a special type of orchid plant. It grows only in Victoria, Australia. This ground orchid has a single leaf. It produces one or two beautiful flowers. These flowers are usually dusky red, purplish, or greenish-brown. They often have shiny golden hints.
Contents
About the Bronze Caps Orchid
What Does It Look Like?
The bronze caps orchid is a perennial plant. This means it lives for more than two years. It's also a deciduous plant, so some parts die back each year. It grows from a round underground tuber, which is like a small storage root.
Each plant has one thin leaf. This leaf is usually between 50 and 100 millimeters (about 2 to 4 inches) long. It is also very narrow, only 1 to 2 millimeters (less than an inch) wide. The leaf has a few hairs on it.
One or two flowers grow on a stem. This stem can be 100 to 250 millimeters (about 4 to 10 inches) tall. The flowers themselves are a mix of colors. They can be dusky red, purplish, or greenish-brown. Sometimes, they have a lovely golden shine. The back of the flowers often looks greenish or brownish.
Parts of the Flower
The top part of the flower is called the dorsal sepal. It is about 11 to 13 millimeters long. This sepal curves forward. It forms a kind of hood over the center part of the flower, called the column.
The two side parts are called the lateral sepals. They are a bit longer, about 13 to 16 millimeters. These sepals usually spread out wide or curve downwards. The petals are similar in length to the lateral sepals. They also spread out wide.
The most interesting part is the labellum. This is the orchid's special lip. It is about 5 to 6 millimeters long. The labellum is whitish with red or purple lines. Along its sides, it has blunt, dark red teeth. The very tip of the labellum is rolled under. There are also four rows of small bumps, called calli, along the middle of the labellum.
Bronze caps orchids usually bloom in October and November.
How It Got Its Name
Naming the Bronze Caps Orchid
The scientific name for this orchid is Caladenia iridescens. It was first officially described in 1920. A scientist named Richard Rogers gave it this name. He found a sample of the orchid near "Hall Gap" in Victoria. The description was then published in a scientific journal called Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of South Australia.
Where It Lives
Habitat of Bronze Caps
Bronze caps orchids are mostly found in the Grampians area of Victoria. They like to grow in woodlands. They also live in shrubby forests, which are areas with many bushes and small trees.
