Dainty leek orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dainty leek orchid |
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The dainty leek orchid (scientific name: Prasophyllum amoenum) is a special type of orchid that only grows in Tasmania, Australia. It's also sometimes called the Snug leek orchid. This plant has a single green leaf and pretty flowers that are light green, dark brown, and white. In 2007, experts thought there were only about 600 of these plants left in the world.
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What Does the Dainty Leek Orchid Look Like?
The dainty leek orchid is a plant that grows from an underground tuber (like a small potato). It's a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It's also deciduous, which means its leaves fall off during certain seasons. This plant has one tube-shaped leaf. It can be about 120 to 300 mm (5 to 12 inches) long. The leaf is green with a purplish base.
Flowers of the Dainty Leek Orchid
This orchid grows a flowering stem that can reach 150 to 350 mm (6 to 14 inches) tall. On this stem, there are usually five to twelve flowers. These flowers are loosely spaced along a spike about 30 to 50 mm (1 to 2 inches) long. Each flower is about 8 to 10 mm (0.3 to 0.4 inches) long and 7 to 9 mm (0.3 inches) wide. They are greenish with dark brown sepals (outer parts of the flower). The petals are white and red.
Understanding the Labellum
A special part of the flower is called the labellum. It's often white or pinkish. In this type of orchid, the flowers are inverted. This means the labellum is above the column (the central part of the flower) instead of below it. The labellum is about 8 to 10 mm (0.3 to 0.4 inches) long. It turns upwards, and its edges are often wavy. These orchids usually flower in January.
How Was This Orchid Named?
The dainty leek orchid, Prasophyllum amoenum, was first officially described in 1998. It was named by a botanist named David Jones. He found a sample of the plant near a place called Snug. The second part of its scientific name, amoenum, comes from a Latin word. It means "pleasant" or "delightful."
Where Does the Dainty Leek Orchid Live?
This special orchid grows in south-eastern Tasmania. It likes to grow among other plants like rushes, sedges, and grasses. These are often found in damp, open areas.
Why Is This Orchid Endangered?
The dainty leek orchid is very rare. It is only found in five small groups of plants. Together, these groups have only about 500 to 600 plants in total. Sometimes, because of dry weather (drought) or animals eating them (browsing), no flowers appear in certain years.
Because there are so few of these plants, they are protected by law.
- Under Tasmania's Threatened Species Protection Act 1995, it is listed as Vulnerable.
- Under the Australian Government's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) Act, it is listed as Endangered. This means it is at very high risk of disappearing forever.
Related pages
- Prasophyllum plumiforme, commonly known as the dainty leek orchid, a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia.
