Fairy lanterns facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fairy lanterns |
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| Corybas barbarae near Gosford | |
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Corybas barbarae, commonly known as fairy lanterns, is a special kind of orchid. It is found only in eastern Australia, including Lord Howe Island. This plant has a single dark green or reddish-green leaf shaped like a heart. Its small, sparkling white or pinkish flower looks like a tiny lantern. The biggest part of the flower is a puffed-up top petal that hides its fuzzy lip.
What Fairy Lanterns Look Like
Fairy lanterns are ground plants that live for many years. They are deciduous, meaning their leaves fall off each year. Each plant has one leaf, shaped like a heart or almost round. This leaf is about 16 to 32 millimeters (about 0.6 to 1.3 inches) long and 18 to 36 millimeters (about 0.7 to 1.4 inches) wide. The top of the leaf is dark green or reddish-green. The underside is silvery-green or light reddish-purple.
There is usually one sparkling white or pinkish flower on each plant. The flower hangs downwards and is about 30 to 35 millimeters (about 1.2 to 1.4 inches) long. It is also about 15 to 20 millimeters (about 0.6 to 0.8 inches) wide. The largest part of the flower is called the dorsal sepal. This part is curved and looks puffed up. It is about 27 to 32 millimeters (about 1.1 to 1.3 inches) long and 15 to 20 millimeters (about 0.6 to 0.8 inches) wide.
The other parts of the flower are smaller. The lateral sepals are thin, about 2 millimeters (about 0.08 inches) long. They point upwards near the base of the flower's lip. The petals are very tiny, about 1 millimeter (about 0.04 inches) long. They are usually hidden by the flower's lip. The labellum, or lip, of the flower is mostly hidden by the large dorsal sepal. It is shaped like a tube near its base. This lip is about 12.5 millimeters (about 0.5 inches) long and 7 millimeters (about 0.3 inches) wide. It is a see-through white color and has tiny hairs on it. Fairy lanterns usually bloom from March to July.
How Fairy Lanterns Got Their Name
The scientific name for fairy lanterns, Corybas barbarae, was first officially described in 1988. A botanist named David Jones gave it this name. He found a sample of the plant on Tamborine Mountain in Australia. The description was then published in a science journal called Austrobaileya.
The second part of the name, barbarae, is a special tribute. It honors Barbara Elizabeth Jones, who is the wife of David Jones.
Where Fairy Lanterns Grow
Fairy lanterns are common and can be found in many places. They grow in protected areas within forests and woodlands. You can find them from the Atherton Tableland in Queensland all the way down to the northern suburbs of Sydney in New South Wales. They also grow on Lord Howe Island.
