One-sided donkey orchid facts for kids

The one-sided donkey orchid (scientific name: Diuris secundiflora) is a special type of orchid. It's not very well-known and only grows in New South Wales, Australia. This orchid has one long, thin leaf, like a blade of grass. It also has beautiful yellow flowers, sometimes with spots. What's cool is that all its flowers grow on just one side of its stem!

What Does It Look Like?

The one-sided donkey orchid is a plant that grows from a tuber (a bit like a potato). It has one leaf, which is about 90 mm (3.5 inches) long and 3 mm (0.1 inches) wide. This leaf is folded in half lengthwise.

This orchid grows a flowering stem up to 500 mm (20 inches) tall. On one side of this stem, you'll find between two and eight yellow flowers. Each flower is about 15 mm (0.6 inches) wide.

Let's look closer at the flower parts:

• The top petal (called the dorsal sepal) curves backward. It's about 8–10 mm long and 6 mm wide.
• The two side petals (lateral sepals) hang downwards. They are long and thin, about 30–40 mm long.
• The main petals spread out wide or stand up straight. They are egg-shaped, about 6–7 mm long and 5 mm wide. They sit on a dark reddish-brown stalk.
• The bottom petal (called the labellum) has three parts. The middle part is fan-shaped, about 4 mm long and 6 mm wide. The two side parts are small, about 2 mm long.
• There are also two thick bumps (called callus ridges) on the labellum.

These orchids usually bloom in October and November.

How Was It Named?

The one-sided donkey orchid was first officially described in 1878. A person named Robert D. FitzGerald wrote about it in his book, Australian Orchids.

Where Does It Grow?

This special orchid is only known to grow in one place. It was found near the Macleay River in New South Wales. It was seen "growing in a small cluster on an open bank." This means it likes to grow together in small groups on clear, open ground.