Common snout orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Common snout orchid |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Dienia
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| Species: |
ophrydis
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The common snout orchid (also known as Dienia ophrydis) is a type of orchid plant. It grows naturally in many parts of Asia, Southeast Asia, the Philippines, New Guinea, and northern Australia. This orchid is a deciduous plant, meaning its leaves fall off at certain times. It grows on the ground (it's a terrestrial orchid).
The common snout orchid has a stem shaped like a cone. It has bright green leaves with wavy edges. Many small flowers grow closely together on a thin, wire-like stem. These flowers can be greenish, brown, reddish, or purplish.
What Does the Common Snout Orchid Look Like?
The common snout orchid is a plant that grows on the ground. It has thick, cone-shaped stems. These stems are usually about 10 to 20 centimeters (4 to 8 inches) tall. They are also about 1 to 2 centimeters (0.4 to 0.8 inches) wide.
This orchid has three to six bright green leaves. The leaves are shaped like a wide spear or an egg. They are about 10 to 30 centimeters (4 to 12 inches) long. They are also about 5 to 9 centimeters (2 to 3.5 inches) wide. The edges of the leaves are wavy.
Many small flowers grow on a thin, fragile stem. This stem can be 15 to 30 centimeters (6 to 12 inches) long. The flowers are usually 5 to 6 millimeters (0.2 inches) long and wide. They can be green, brown, red, or purple.
Each flower has different parts:
- The top part, called the dorsal sepal, is narrow and about 3 millimeters (0.1 inches) long. It points downwards.
- The side parts, called the lateral sepals, are egg-shaped. They are also about 3 millimeters long. They curve around the main lip of the flower.
- The petals are thin and similar in size to the sepals.
- The main lip, called the labellum, is broadly egg-shaped. It is about 2.5 millimeters (0.1 inches) long. It has three blunt points at its end. The middle point is the longest. The base of this lip is shaped like a deep pouch.
These orchids usually bloom between December and April.
How Did the Common Snout Orchid Get Its Name?
The common snout orchid was first officially described in 1791. A scientist named Johann Gerhard König gave it the name Epidendrum ophrydis. He wrote about it in a book called Observationes botanicae.
Later, in 1997, another scientist named Gunnar Seidenfaden changed its name to Dienia ophrydis. The second part of its scientific name, ophrydis, comes from an Ancient Greek word. This word, ophyrs, means "brow" or "eyebrow."
Where Does the Common Snout Orchid Grow?
The common snout orchid likes to grow in wet forests. You can often find it near streams or in swampy areas.
This orchid is the most common species in its group, called the Dienia genus. It is found in many countries. These include China, Cambodia, Bhutan, India, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, New Guinea, and northern Queensland in Australia.
