Midget duck orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Midget duck orchid |
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The midget duck orchid, also known as Caleana lyonsii, is a special type of orchid. It grows only in the southwestern part of Western Australia. This small plant is unique because its single, smooth leaf often dries up by the time it flowers. It has up to ten tiny, greenish flowers. The midget duck orchid lives in tough places and has the smallest flowers of its genus in Western Australia.
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What the Midget Duck Orchid Looks Like
The midget duck orchid has one narrow leaf. This leaf is about 4 to 10 millimeters (0.16 to 0.39 inches) long and 4 to 8 millimeters (0.16 to 0.31 inches) wide. It usually withers, or dries up, when the plant starts to flower.
The plant grows up to ten greenish-yellow flowers. These flowers are about 12 to 15 millimeters (0.47 to 0.59 inches) long and 4 to 5 millimeters (0.16 to 0.20 inches) wide. They grow on a thin, wiry stalk that is 60 to 200 millimeters (2.4 to 7.9 inches) tall.
Flower Parts
The top sepal (a leaf-like part that protects the flower bud) and the petals are narrow. They hang downwards. The top sepal presses against the column, which is a central part of the orchid flower. The column has wide wings, making a shape like a small bucket.
The side sepals are also narrow but they bend outwards. The entire top surface of the labellum (the orchid's special lip petal) is covered with tiny bumps called glands or calli. The ones closer to the tip are darker in color. The midget duck orchid flowers from late September to November.
How the Midget Duck Orchid Got Its Name
The midget duck orchid was first officially described in 2006. Two scientists, Stephen Hopper and Andrew Brown, gave it the name Paracaleana lyonsii. This description was published in a scientific journal called Australian Systematic Botany.
Later, in 2014, other scientists named Joseph Miller and Mark Clements studied the plant's genes. Based on their findings, they moved all species from the Paracaleana group into the Caleana group. This is why the plant is now called Caleana lyonsii. The second part of its name, lyonsii, honors Mike Lyons. He was the person who first found this orchid in 1994.
Where the Midget Duck Orchid Lives
The midget duck orchid grows in tough environments. One place it can be found is on a sand ridge near Paynes Find. It lives in separate groups, called disjunct populations. These groups are found north of Kalbarri, near Koolyanobbing, and near Southern Cross. These areas are part of the Coolgardie, Geraldton Sandplains, and Yalgoo biogeographic regions in Western Australia.
Protecting the Midget Duck Orchid
The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has classified Caleana lyonsii (which they still list as Paracaleana lyonsii) as "not threatened." This means it is not currently considered to be in danger of disappearing.
