Flared helmet orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Flared helmet orchid |
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The flared helmet orchid (scientific name: Corybas expansus) is a unique type of orchid. It only grows in South Australia, which means it's endemic there. This special plant has a leaf shaped like a heart or a circle. It also grows a single purplish flower with parts that look green or clear. The flared helmet orchid is a vulnerable species, meaning it needs protection. You can find it growing in sandy areas and among fallen leaves near the coast.
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Discover the Flared Helmet Orchid
The flared helmet orchid is a plant that grows on the ground. It lives for many years and can form small groups. It has a heart-shaped or round leaf. This leaf is about the size of a small coin, usually 1.5 to 3 centimeters (about 0.6 to 1.2 inches) long. The top of the leaf is bright green, and the bottom is a shiny, silvery green.
What Does the Flower Look Like?
Each plant grows one flower that stands up tall. It's a pretty reddish-purple color with some green or clear parts. The flower is about 1.2 to 1.5 centimeters (about 0.5 to 0.6 inches) long.
The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, is mostly clear green. It curves forward to partly cover the labellum. The labellum is a special lip-like part of the orchid flower. It's longer than the dorsal sepal and forms a tube at its base. Then, it opens up into a wide, dish-like shape. This part is reddish-purple at the top and turns white towards the middle. The edges of the labellum have small teeth or jagged parts.
This orchid usually blooms in July and August.
Naming the Flared Helmet Orchid
The flared helmet orchid was first officially described in 1991. A botanist named David Jones gave it the scientific name Corybas expansus. He found a sample of the plant in the Warrenben Conservation Park.
The word expansus comes from Latin and means "spread out." This name was chosen because of the orchid's labellum, which flares out widely.
Some scientists later suggested moving this orchid to a different group called Corysanthes. However, most botanists still use the name Corybas expansus.
Where Does It Grow?
The flared helmet orchid lives in coastal areas of South Australia. You can find it in places like the southern tips of the Eyre, Yorke, and Fleurieu Peninsulas. It also grows on Kangaroo Island. It likes to grow in shrubland and forests near the coast.
Protecting This Special Orchid
The flared helmet orchid is listed as "vulnerable" in South Australia. This means it's a species that needs help to survive. It is protected under the South Australian National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972.
The biggest dangers to this orchid are:
- Wrong fire management: Fires that happen too often or not enough can harm the plants.
- Weed invasion: Other plants (weeds) can grow too much and take over the orchid's space.
