Cathcart midge orchid facts for kids

The Cathcart midge orchid (scientific name: Genoplesium formosum) is a tiny and special type of orchid. You can find it growing in the southern parts of New South Wales, Australia. It has a single thin leaf and pretty dark reddish-purple flowers. These flowers often have darker lines on them, making them look unique!

What Does the Cathcart Midge Orchid Look Like?

The Cathcart midge orchid is a perennial plant. This means it lives for more than two years. It is also deciduous, so some parts might die back in certain seasons, but the plant itself survives. This orchid is a herb, which means it doesn't have a woody stem like a tree. It grows from an underground tuber (like a small potato).

Each plant has one thin leaf that can be about 60–300 mm (2–10 in) long. A small part of the leaf, about 10–20 mm (0.4–0.8 in) long, stands freely.

Between ten and twenty flowers grow on a stem. This stem is about 20–40 mm (0.8–2 in) tall, just a bit taller than the leaf. The flowers are dark reddish-purple with darker lines. They are about 7–9 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long and 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) wide.

Like other orchids in its group, these flowers are upside down. This means the labellum (a special lip petal) is above the column (the part holding the pollen) instead of below it.

The top sepal (a leaf-like part protecting the flower) is about 6.5–7 mm (0.26–0.28 in) long. It has a sharp tip. The two side sepals are about 8–9 mm (0.31–0.35 in) long and are separate from each other. The petals are about 6–6.5 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and have a pointed tip. Sometimes, they have a few hairs on their edges.

The labellum is thick and fleshy, shaped like an egg. It is about 4.5–5 mm (0.18–0.20 in) long. It has coarse hairs on its edges and a sharp tip. There is a thick, raised part called a callus in the middle of the labellum. This callus extends almost to the tip. These orchids usually bloom between October and December.

How Did It Get Its Name?

The Cathcart midge orchid was first officially described in 2001. A botanist named David Jones found a sample in the Wadbilliga National Park. He published its description in a magazine called The Orchadian.

In 2002, David Jones and Mark Clements changed its scientific name to Corunastylis formosa. The second part of its scientific name, formosum, comes from a Latin word. It means “beautifully formed” or "handsome."

Where Does It Live?

The Cathcart midge orchid likes to grow near streams or swamps. It often grows among shrubs or grasses. You can find it in a few separate areas between Wadbilliga National Park and a town called Cathcart.