Elegant donkey orchid facts for kids
The elegant donkey orchid (scientific name: Diuris concinna) is a special type of orchid that only grows in the south-western part of Western Australia. It gets its name "donkey orchid" because its flowers look a bit like a donkey's ears! This plant has long, thin leaves at its base and pretty pale yellow flowers with brown marks. You can often find it growing in places that get flooded in winter. It also tends to bloom more after a bushfire happened the summer before.
Quick facts for kids Elegant donkey orchid |
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| Diuris concinna growing in Dunns Swamp, near Hopetoun | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Diuris
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| Species: |
concinna
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What Does It Look Like?
The elegant donkey orchid is a plant that grows from a tuber (a swollen underground stem, like a potato). It's a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It's also a herb, which means it has soft stems, not woody ones like a tree.
This orchid usually grows to be about 20 to 40 centimetres (8 to 16 inches) tall. Sometimes, if it's surrounded by other plants like sedges, it can grow up to 60 centimetres (24 inches) tall.
Leaves
At the bottom of the plant, there are usually three to five long, thin leaves. Each leaf is about 8 to 15 centimetres (3 to 6 inches) long and 1 to 2 centimetres (0.4 to 0.8 inches) wide.
Flowers
The elegant donkey orchid has up to five pale yellow flowers with brown markings. These flowers grow on a stem that is 20 to 40 centimetres (8 to 16 inches) tall. Each flower is about 2.5 centimetres (1 inch) wide.
- Dorsal Sepal: This is the top part of the flower, which stands upright. It's shaped like an egg, about 8 to 14 millimetres long and 5 to 8.5 millimetres wide.
- Lateral Sepals: These are the two lower parts of the flower. They are green and purplish, about 10 to 17 millimetres long. They point downwards and stay close to each other.
- Petals: The petals are curved backwards and spread out. They are usually elliptic (oval-shaped) and about 9 to 13 millimetres long. They sit on a reddish-brown stalk.
- Labellum: This is the "lip" of the orchid flower, which is often very showy. The labellum of this orchid is about 10 to 14 millimetres long and has three parts, called lobes. The middle lobe is egg-shaped and the side lobes are also egg-shaped but smaller.
- Calli: There are two small, raised ridges (called calli) near the middle of the labellum. They are about 5 to 6 millimetres long.
This orchid usually flowers between September and December, with the most flowers appearing in the middle of October.
How It Got Its Name
The elegant donkey orchid was first officially described in 1991 by a botanist named David Jones. He found a sample of the plant near a town called Esperance.
The scientific name concinna comes from a Latin word. It means "well-arranged," "skilfully joined," "beautiful," or "striking." This name perfectly describes the pretty look of the flower!
Where It Lives
You can find the elegant donkey orchid growing in areas that get wet during winter. It often grows among low shrubs or sedges (grass-like plants). Its home range stretches between the Cape Arid and Fitzgerald River National Parks in Western Australia. These areas are part of what scientists call the Coolgardie, Esperance Plains, and Mallee biogeographic regions.
Is It Protected?
The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has classified Diuris concinna as "not threatened." This means that, for now, there are enough of these orchids in the wild, and they are not considered to be in danger of disappearing.
