Cyrtostylis rotundifolia facts for kids

The Cyrtostylis rotundifolia, also known as the winter orchid or gnat orchid, is a special type of orchid. It grows only in New Zealand. This plant has one leaf shaped like an egg. It also has a stem that can grow up to four pink or pinkish-green flowers. Each flower has a flat, oblong part called a labellum. This orchid looks very much like another species called Cyrtostylis oblonga. Scientists are still studying them to see if they are truly different.

What Does the Winter Orchid Look Like?

The winter orchid is a plant that grows from the ground. It is a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It is also deciduous, so its leaves fall off at certain times. This plant has one leaf that can be shaped like a kidney, an egg, a heart, or almost round. This leaf is usually about 10 to 40 millimeters (0.4 to 1.6 inches) long and 8 to 17 millimeters (0.3 to 0.7 inches) wide.

Flowers of the Winter Orchid

The winter orchid grows a thin flower stem that can be up to 100 millimeters (4 inches) tall. On this stem, you might see up to four pink or pinkish-green flowers. Each flower is about 8 to 10 millimeters (0.3 to 0.4 inches) long.

The flower has different parts:

• The dorsal sepal stands straight up and is narrow.
• The lateral sepals are also narrow and a bit smaller.
• The petals are similar in size and shape to the lateral sepals.
• The labellum is flat and oval-shaped, about 10 millimeters (0.4 inches) long and 4 millimeters (0.16 inches) wide. It has two round bumps at its base and two parallel lines running along it.
• The column is shorter than the labellum and gets wider at the top.

You can see these orchids flowering from June to October.

How is it Different from C. oblonga?

The winter orchid is very similar to C. oblonga. More research is needed to fully understand if they are separate species. One way to tell them apart is by their leaves. The winter orchid usually has grey-green, egg-shaped leaves. In contrast, C. oblonga has yellowish-green, oblong (longer than wide) leaves.

How Did the Winter Orchid Get its Name?

The winter orchid, Cyrtostylis rotundifolia, was first officially described in 1853. This was done by a famous botanist named Joseph Dalton Hooker. He published his description in a book called Flora Novae-Zelandiae.

The name rotundifolia comes from two Latin words:

• rotundus, which means "round" or "circular".
• folium, which means "leaf".

So, rotundifolia simply means "round-leaved", describing the shape of its leaf.

Where Does the Winter Orchid Grow?

The winter orchid lives in New Zealand. You can find it in areas with light shade, like in scrubland or open spaces. It grows in the northern half of the North Island and the lower two-thirds of the South Island.