Coastal rein orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Coastal rein orchid |
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|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Habenaria
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| Species: |
hymenophylla
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The coastal rein orchid, known scientifically as Habenaria hymenophylla, is a special type of orchid. It is found only in northern Australia. This plant can have up to eight leaves along its stem. It also grows up to thirty green and white flowers that have a strong smell.
What Does It Look Like?
The coastal rein orchid is a plant that grows from a tuber. A tuber is like a swollen underground stem, similar to a potato. This plant is a perennial, meaning it grows back year after year. It has about six to eight leaves. These leaves are usually 30 to 60 millimeters long and 30 to 35 millimeters wide.
The orchid produces twenty to thirty flowers on a tall stem. This stem can be 250 to 400 millimeters tall. Each flower is about 15 to 18 millimeters long and 10 to 13 millimeters wide. The flowers are green and white and have an unusual smell, especially in the late afternoon.
Each flower has parts called sepals and petals. The top sepal is about 5 millimeters long and wide. It forms a small hood over the center part of the flower, called the column. The side sepals are similar in size and spread out. The petals are divided into two parts. One part is about 6 millimeters long, and the other is about 3 millimeters long. The labellum, which is a special petal, has three thin, thread-like parts that are 6 to 7 millimeters long. The flower also has a curved tube called a nectary spur, which is about 11 to 13 millimeters long. This orchid blooms from October to April.
How It Got Its Name
The coastal rein orchid was first officially described in 1911. A scientist named Rudolf Schlechter gave it its scientific name, Habenaria hymenophylla. He published his description in a scientific book called Repertorium specierum novarum regni vegetabilis.
Where It Lives
You can find the coastal rein orchid in the northern parts of the Northern Territory in Australia. It grows near Darwin, in an area called Arnhem Land, and on Melville Island. It also lives in some separate areas in Queensland. These include the Cape York Peninsula and between the towns of Ingham and Rockhampton. This orchid likes to grow in rainforests, often close to the coast. It can also be found in woodlands.
