Eria kingii facts for kids

Eria kingii, often called the common gremlin orchid, is a unique plant from the orchid family. It's a special type of orchid that grows on other plants or rocks, not in the soil. These orchids have thick stems called pseudobulbs, each with three or four thin, channelled leaves. They grow beautiful white or cream-colored, cup-shaped flowers with fuzzy outsides. You can find them in places like Sulawesi and tropical North Queensland.

What Does the Common Gremlin Orchid Look Like?

The common gremlin orchid is a type of herb that can grow on other plants (this is called an epiphyte) or on rocks (this is called a lithophyte). It has many crowded, cone-shaped stems, called pseudobulbs. These pseudobulbs are about 15 to 25 centimeters (6 to 10 inches) long and 3 to 5 centimeters (1.2 to 2 inches) wide.

Each pseudobulb has three or four dark green leaves. These leaves are shaped like an ellipse or an egg and are about 25 to 35 centimeters (10 to 14 inches) long and 3 to 5 centimeters (1.2 to 2 inches) wide.

The orchid produces between fifteen and fifty white or cream-colored flowers. These flowers are cup-shaped and about 6 to 8 millimeters (0.24 to 0.31 inches) long and 5 to 7 millimeters (0.20 to 0.28 inches) wide. They grow along a stiff, upright flowering stem that is 10 to 30 centimeters (4 to 12 inches) long. The outside of the flowers feels hairy.

Each flower has different parts:

• The top petal, called the dorsal sepal, is about 6 to 7 millimeters (0.24 to 0.28 inches) long and 3 to 4 millimeters (0.12 to 0.16 inches) wide.
• The side petals, called lateral sepals, are about 4.5 to 7 millimeters (0.18 to 0.28 inches) long and wide.
• The main petals are about 5 to 6 millimeters (0.20 to 0.24 inches) long and 3 millimeters (0.12 inches) wide.
• The special lip-like petal, called the labellum, is about 5 millimeters (0.20 inches) long and 4 millimeters (0.16 inches) wide. It has three parts, or lobes. The side lobes stand up, and the middle lobe points downwards. It also has a small ridge down its middle.

In Australia, these orchids usually bloom between August and October.

How Was the Common Gremlin Orchid Named?

The common gremlin orchid, Eria kingii, was first officially described in 1877. This description was made by a scientist named Ferdinand von Mueller. He wrote about it in a publication called Southern Science Record.

Mueller named the orchid after a person he called "Mr. King." This "Mr. King" had provided the first example of the plant, known as the "type specimen," from his plant collection. Later, it was found that "Mr. King" was actually Arthur (Septimus) King, who was the son of Admiral Phillip Parker King.

Where Does the Common Gremlin Orchid Live?

The common gremlin orchid grows on rocks and trees in very moist places. You can often find it on branches that hang over water.

It is found in several different regions:

• Sulawesi
• The Maluku Islands
• New Guinea
• The Solomon Islands
• Queensland, Australia

In Queensland, Australia, you can find this orchid growing from the Iron Range area all the way down to the Tully River.