Corybas globulus facts for kids

Corybas globulus is a special kind of orchid that looks a bit like a helmet. It only grows in a small area called the New England Tableland in northern New South Wales, Australia. This small orchid has a bright green leaf shaped like a heart and a round, dark reddish-purple flower.

What is Corybas globulus?

Corybas globulus is a plant that grows in the ground, not on trees. It has special underground parts called tubers, like small potatoes. These orchids often grow in groups, forming loose "colonies" of plants that are all connected.

This orchid has one heart-shaped leaf that is about 15 to 30 millimeters (0.6 to 1.2 inches) long. It is also about 10 to 30 millimeters (0.4 to 1.2 inches) wide. The leaf is bright green, but its edges and bottom side can be reddish.

The Flower

The flower of Corybas globulus is mostly round, like a little ball. It is about 10 to 11 millimeters (0.4 inches) across. The flower sits on a pinkish stem called a peduncle, which is about 5 to 8 millimeters (0.2 to 0.3 inches) long.

The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, is dark reddish-purple. It is about 10 to 12 millimeters (0.4 to 0.5 inches) long. The side parts, called lateral sepals, are about 10 to 11 millimeters long. The petals are smaller, about 5 millimeters (0.2 inches) long. All these parts are very close to the main lip of the flower, called the labellum.

The labellum is about the same length as the dorsal sepal and is shaped like a tube. It has three sections or "lobes." Around the edge of the labellum, there are many tiny bumps called calli. These calli are pink to red and about 1 millimeter (0.04 inches) long. They form a ridge about 2 millimeters (0.08 inches) wide.

This orchid usually blooms from early May to mid-June.

How it was Named

This special orchid was first officially described in 2016 by two scientists, David Jones and Lachlan Copeland. They first named it Anzybas globulus. Their description was published in a magazine called Australian Orchid Review. They studied a plant they found in the Washpool National Park.

Later that same year, the same scientists changed the name to Corybas globulus. They did this because there were different ideas about how to group these orchids.

The second part of the name, globulus, comes from a Latin word, globus. Globus means "ball" or "sphere." So, globulus means "little sphere" or "little ball." This name perfectly describes the round shape of the orchid's flower.

Where it Lives

This orchid grows in open forests where there are many shrubs and bushes underneath the taller trees. It has only been found in two places: the Washpool National Park and the Gibraltar Range National Parks. Both of these parks are in New South Wales, Australia.