Byron Bay donkey orchid facts for kids

The Byron Bay donkey orchid (scientific name: Diuris byronensis) is a special type of orchid. It is only found in one small area, the Arakwal National Park in New South Wales, Australia.

This beautiful orchid has one or two leaves that look like grass. It grows up to five bright yellow flowers. These flowers often have cool black markings on them. Because it only grows near Byron Bay, it's quite rare!

What Does It Look Like?

The Byron Bay donkey orchid is a plant that grows from a round, underground part called a tuber. This helps it store food and live for many years. It has one or two leaves that are about 100–250 mm (4–10 in) long and 2–4 mm (0.08–0.2 in) wide. These leaves are usually folded in half lengthwise.

The plant grows a flowering stem that can be 100–300 mm (4–10 in) tall. On this stem, you'll find between two and five bright yellow flowers. Each flower is about 20–30 mm (0.8–1 in) wide and has blackish markings.

Let's look at the flower parts:

• The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, stands upright. It's about 9–12 mm (0.4–0.5 in) long.
• The two side parts, called lateral sepals, hang downwards. They are longer, about 20–34 mm (0.8–1 in) long.
• The petals are held out to the sides, sometimes even bending backward. They are about 9–13 mm (0.4–0.5 in) long.
• The labellum is the special lip-like part of the orchid. It's about 10–15 mm (0.4–0.6 in) long and has three parts. The middle part is egg-shaped, and the two side parts are much smaller.
• There are also two small bumps, called calli, at the base of the labellum.

This orchid usually blooms in August and September.

How It Got Its Name

The Byron Bay donkey orchid, Diuris byronensis, was officially named and described in 2003. A botanist named David Jones was the first to study and name it. He found a sample of the orchid near Byron Bay. The details about this new orchid were then published in a special magazine called The Orchadian.

Where It Lives

The Byron Bay donkey orchid is very rare because it only grows in a tiny area. You can find it in a small part of the Arakwal National Park. Here, it grows among plants like sedges and grasses. It prefers a special kind of plant community called "Byron Bay Dwarf Graminoid Clay Heath." This type of habitat is also quite rare.

Protecting This Orchid

Sadly, the Byron Bay donkey orchid is in danger. It is listed as "critically endangered" on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This means it faces a very high risk of disappearing forever. It's also listed as "endangered" under the New South Wales Threatened Species Conservation Act.

The main reasons this orchid is in trouble are:

• It grows in a very small area, so it's easy for its habitat to be disturbed.
• Its natural home is being lost.
• Weeds are invading its habitat, competing with the orchid for space and resources.

Good news! People are working hard to protect this special orchid and its home. Projects are underway to save its habitat and help other threatened plants in the area.