Duck's-head wasp orchid facts for kids

The Chiloglottis anaticeps, often called the duck's-head wasp orchid or bird orchid, is a special type of orchid. It grows only in the New England Tableland area of New South Wales, Australia. This orchid has two thin leaves and a single flower that can be greenish-brown or reddish.

What makes it really unique is a shiny, dark green part inside the flower called a callus. This callus covers most of the flower's lip, and one end of it looks exactly like a tiny duck's head!

What Does the Duck's-Head Wasp Orchid Look Like?

The duck's-head wasp orchid is a plant that grows from the ground. It's a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years, and it's also deciduous, so it loses its leaves at certain times. It has two narrow, oval-shaped leaves that are about 3 to 4 cm (1.2 to 1.6 inches) long and 1.4 to 1.8 cm (0.55 to 0.71 inches) wide. These leaves grow on a stalk about 1 to 2.5 cm (0.39 to 0.98 inches) long.

Each plant usually has one flower. This flower is green to reddish-brown and is about 2.6 to 3 cm (1.0 to 1.2 inches) long and 0.5 to 0.6 cm (0.20 to 0.24 inches) wide. It sits on a flowering stem that is 3.5 to 7 cm (1.4 to 2.8 inches) tall.

The top part of the flower, called the sepal, is about 1.2 to 1.4 cm (0.47 to 0.55 inches) long. The side sepals are longer, about 1.6 to 1.8 cm (0.63 to 0.71 inches), and curve downwards. The petals are shaped like spearheads, about 1 to 1.2 cm (0.39 to 0.47 inches) long.

The most interesting part is the labellum, or lip, which sticks out horizontally. It's about 0.9 to 1.1 cm (0.35 to 0.43 inches) long. Most of its top surface is covered with a special structure called a callus. This callus has prominent, club-shaped glands. The one closest to the base of the labellum is about 2 mm (0.079 inches) long and looks just like a tiny duck's head! The central part of the flower, called the column, is green with red spots.

These orchids usually bloom from December to February.

How Did the Duck's-Head Wasp Orchid Get Its Name?

The duck's-head wasp orchid was officially described in 1991 by a botanist named David Jones. He found a sample of the plant near Wauchope, New South Wales.

The scientific name, anaticeps, comes from two words. "Anas" is Latin for "duck," and "ceps" means "head." So, anaticeps literally means "duck-headed," which perfectly describes the unique gland on the flower's lip!

Where Does the Duck's-Head Wasp Orchid Live?

You can find the duck's-head wasp orchid growing in tall forests. It especially likes areas near granite rocks. These special orchids live in places like the New England, Werrikimbe, and Cathedral Rock National Parks in Australia.

Why Is the Duck's-Head Wasp Orchid Important to Protect?

The Chiloglottis anaticeps is listed as an "endangered" species by the New South Wales Government. This means there are very few of these orchids left in the wild, and they are at high risk of disappearing forever. Protecting their habitats in national parks helps ensure these unique plants can survive for future generations.

Images for kids

• 

  Labellum detail