Banded fleshy jewel orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Banded fleshy jewel orchid |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Cheirostylis
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| Species: |
ovata
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| Synonyms | |
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The Cheirostylis ovata, also known as the banded fleshy jewel orchid, is a special type of orchid. It grows only in Queensland, Australia. You can find it in rainforests and moist woodlands. This orchid has a few egg-shaped leaves. It also grows small white flowers with two parts at the end of their lip.
What it Looks Like
The banded fleshy jewel orchid is a herbaceous plant. This means it has soft stems, not woody ones. It grows from a tuber, which is like a small underground storage organ. The plant lives for many years. It has a group of three to seven leaves. These leaves lie flat on the ground. They are about 2.5 to 5 millimeters long. They are also 1 to 2 millimeters wide.
The plant sends up a flowering stem. This stem can be 100 to 250 millimeters tall. On this stem, you can find up to six white flowers. Each flower is about 10 to 14 millimeters long. They are also 8 to 10 millimeters wide. The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, is about 7 to 8 millimeters long. It joins with the petals to form a tube. The side sepals are similar in size. The petals are about half as wide as the sepals.
The most interesting part is the labellum, or "lip" of the flower. It is about 12 to 14 millimeters long. It is also about 9 millimeters wide. The tip of the labellum splits into two parts. These parts have broad, tooth-like edges. This orchid usually blooms from August to October.
Name and History
The banded fleshy jewel orchid got its first formal name in 1896. A scientist named Frederick Manson Bailey described it. He first called it Gastrodia ovata. This name was published in a special botany bulletin.
Later, in 1911, Rudolf Schlechter changed its name. He gave it the name Cheirostylis ovata. The second part of its name, ovata, comes from a Latin word. It means "egg-shaped." This describes the shape of the orchid's leaves.
Where it Lives
You can find the banded fleshy jewel orchid in Queensland, Australia. It grows in leaf litter on the ground. It also grows on rocks. Its home is in rainforests and moist woodlands. It lives in areas between the Iron Range and Eungella.
