Elegant hyacinth orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Elegant hyacinth orchid |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Dipodium
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| Species: |
elegantulum
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The elegant hyacinth orchid (scientific name: Dipodium elegantulum) is a special kind of orchid. It doesn't have leaves! This beautiful plant only grows in Queensland, Australia. During spring and summer, it shows off many pale to dark pink flowers. These flowers often have darker spots and streaks. They grow on a tall stem.
What it Looks Like
The elegant hyacinth orchid is a plant that grows from a tuber (a swollen underground stem, like a potato). It is a perennial plant, which means it lives for more than two years. It's also a saprophytic herb. This means it gets its food from dead organic matter, not from sunlight like most plants.
Between August and December, this orchid grows a tall flowering stem. This stem can be about 50 to 80 centimeters (20 to 31 inches) tall. On each stem, you can find between twenty and sixty flowers.
The flowers are usually pale to dark pink. They have some darker spots and streaks near their tips. Each flower is about 2 to 2.5 centimeters (0.8 to 1 inch) wide. The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, is long and narrow. It's about 1.4 to 1.7 centimeters (0.5 to 0.7 inches) long. The side sepals are similar but a bit longer. The petals are also long and narrow, about 1.3 to 1.5 centimeters (0.5 to 0.6 inches) long. They are slightly curved.
The most noticeable part of the flower is the labellum. This is a special lip-like petal. It is dark pink and sticks out forward. It's about 1.4 to 2 centimeters (0.5 to 0.8 inches) long. The labellum has a small tip that turns upwards. It also has a thin band of soft, purple hairs in the middle.
Its Name and History
The elegant hyacinth orchid was first officially described in 1991. A botanist named David Jones gave it its scientific name, Dipodium elegantulum. He wrote about it in a book called Australian Orchid Research. He found a sample of the plant near a place called Mareeba.
The second part of its scientific name, elegantulum, comes from a Latin word. It means "very fine" or "very elegant." This name was chosen because the orchid has such beautiful flowers.
Where it Grows
You can find the elegant hyacinth orchid in many places across Queensland. It grows in forests and open woodlands with grass. It is found in areas between the Mount Windsor Tableland, the Hervey Range, and Charters Towers.
