Crab orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Crab orchid |
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| Illustration by Lewis Roberts | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Dendrobium
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| Species: |
cancroides
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The crab orchid (scientific name: Dendrobium cancroides) is a special type of orchid. It often grows on other plants, like trees, without harming them. This is called being an epiphyte. Sometimes, it can also grow on rocks, which means it is a lithophyte.
This orchid has long, flat stems. It can have up to fourteen leaves on the top part of its stem. The crab orchid produces one or two star-shaped flowers. These flowers are reddish-brown with a bright yellow center. You can find this unique plant growing in rainforests. It often lives on trees that hang over streams in tropical North Queensland.
What the Crab Orchid Looks Like
The crab orchid is a plant that grows on trees or rocks. Its stems are flat and can be very long. They usually measure between 50 and 80 centimeters (about 20 to 31 inches) long. The stems are also about 5 to 6 millimeters (about 0.2 inches) wide.
This orchid has eight to fourteen leaves. These leaves are usually found along the top half of the stem. Each leaf is about 6 to 10 centimeters (about 2.4 to 3.9 inches) long. They are also about 3 to 3.5 centimeters (about 1.2 to 1.4 inches) wide.
The crab orchid produces one or two flowers. These flowers grow from where the leaves meet the stem. Each flower is about 1.8 to 2.2 centimeters (about 0.7 to 0.9 inches) long and wide. The flowers are reddish-brown with a yellow center. They do not open very wide.
The parts of the flower, called sepals and petals, are curved. They also have a bumpy texture. The sepals are about 1.2 to 1.5 centimeters (about 0.5 to 0.6 inches) long. The petals are similar in length but are only about half as wide. The flower also has a special lip-like part called a labellum. This labellum is about 1 centimeter (0.4 inches) long. It is also about 0.5 centimeters (0.2 inches) wide and has three parts. The middle part has a white ridge and long white hairs. Crab orchids usually bloom from December to May.
How it Got its Name
The crab orchid was officially described in 1947. A scientist named Trevor Edgar Hunt wrote about it. He published his description in a science magazine called North Queensland Naturalist. The plant was found on the Mount Bellenden Ker mountain range.
The scientific name cancroides comes from two Latin words. Cancer means "crab." The ending -oides means "like" or "resembling." So, cancroides means "crab-like." This name probably refers to the shape or appearance of the orchid's flowers.
Where it Lives
The crab orchid mostly grows on trees in rainforests. It especially likes to grow on branches that hang over water. You can find this orchid in Far North Queensland. It grows between the McIlwraith Range and the Johnstone River.
