Small bird orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Small bird orchid |
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The Small Bird Orchid, also known by its scientific name Chiloglottis grammata, is a special type of orchid that only grows in Tasmania. This means it's endemic to that island. It has two wide leaves. Its single flower is usually greenish-purple or purple. The flower has unique, shiny bumps called calli and small ridges that look a bit like writing. These cover most of the flower's lip, called the labellum. You can often find this orchid in wet, mountainous areas.
What Does the Small Bird Orchid Look Like?
The Small Bird Orchid is a plant that grows from the ground. It is a perennial plant, which means it lives for more than two years. It's also deciduous, so its leaves fall off at certain times of the year. This plant is a herb, meaning it has soft stems, not woody ones like trees.
It has two leaves that are about 50–80 mm (2–3 in) long and 15–25 mm (0.6–1 in) wide. A single flower grows on a stem that is 20–40 mm (0.8–2 in) tall. The flower itself is usually greenish-purple to purple. It measures about 16–19 mm (0.6–0.7 in) long and 25–30 mm (0.98–1.2 in) wide.
The flower has different parts:
- Sepals: The top sepal, called the dorsal sepal, is shaped like an egg or a spatula. It is about 15–19 mm (0.6–0.7 in) long and 8–11 mm (0.3–0.4 in) wide. The two side sepals, called lateral sepals, are thin and pointy. They are about 14–16 mm (0.55–0.63 in) long and 2 mm (0.08 in) wide. All three sepals have a tiny, sticky tip.
- Petals: The petals are curved and spread out wide. They are about 13–16 mm (0.5–0.6 in) long and 4 mm (0.2 in) wide.
- Labellum: This is the special lip of the orchid flower. It's shaped like an egg or a heart, about 8–11 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long and 7–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) wide. Most of its top surface is covered with short, shiny bumps called calli. These calli can be greenish, reddish, or black, and are up to 1 mm (0.04 in) long. There are also low ridges that look like tiny writing.
This orchid usually blooms between October and February.
How Was it Named?
The Small Bird Orchid, Chiloglottis grammata, was first officially described in 1991. A scientist named Geoffrey Carr gave it its formal description. He published his findings in a paper called Indigenous Flora and Fauna Association Miscellaneous Paper 1. The plant he studied was found in a place called Jackeys Marsh in the Meander Valley.
Where Does it Grow?
The Small Bird Orchid is quite common and can be found in many parts of Tasmania. It especially likes to grow in moist or wet forests in mountainous areas. Sometimes, many of these orchids grow together, forming large groups.
