Coastal burr orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Coastal burr orchid |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Dendrobium
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| Species: |
maidenianum
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| Synonyms | |
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Cadetia maidenianum (Schltr.) Schltr. |
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The Coastal burr orchid (scientific name: Dendrobium maidenianum) is a special type of orchid found only in Far North Queensland, Australia. It's called "coastal burr orchid" because it often grows near the coast. This plant is unique because it can grow on other plants, like trees (this is called an epiphyte), or even on rocks (this is called a lithophyte).
What Does the Coastal Burr Orchid Look Like?
The Coastal burr orchid is a small plant that often grows in groups. It has a flat stem, about 40 to 70 millimeters (1.6 to 2.8 inches) long. Each stem has one thick, dark green leaf that is about 40 to 60 millimeters (1.6 to 2.4 inches) long.
This orchid usually has one, or sometimes two, small white flowers. Each flower is about 5 to 6 millimeters (0.20 to 0.24 inches) wide. The flowers have tiny, hair-like bumps on their base.
The parts of the flower, like the sepals and petals, are quite small. The top sepal is about 3 millimeters (0.12 inches) long. The side sepals are about 2.5 millimeters (0.098 inches) long. The petals are very thin, less than 1 millimeter wide.
The "labellum" is a special lip-like part of the orchid flower. For this orchid, it's about 3.5 millimeters (0.14 inches) long. The flowers bloom between January and July. They don't last very long and they pollinate themselves. This means they don't need insects or other animals to help them make seeds.
How Did It Get Its Name?
The Coastal burr orchid was first officially described in 1905 by a scientist named Rudolf Schlechter. He wrote about it in a book called Nachträge zur Flora der deutschen Schutzgebiete in der Südsee.
Schlechter noticed that some orchids from northern Australia were different from similar ones found elsewhere. He decided to give them a new name, D. maidenianum. He chose this name to honor Joseph Maiden, who was the director of the Botanic Garden in Sydney at that time.
Where Does the Coastal Burr Orchid Live?
The Coastal burr orchid is found only in tropical North Queensland, Australia. This means it is endemic to that area.
It likes to grow on trees and rocks. You can usually find it in shady spots within rainforests. It lives in coastal areas and nearby mountain ranges, at heights up to 250 meters (820 feet) above sea level.
