Pointed corduroy orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pointed corduroy orchid |
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| Illustration of Eulophia venosa by Heinrich Reichenbach | |
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Eulophia
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venosa
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The Pointed Corduroy Orchid, also known as Eulophia venosa, is a type of orchid plant. It grows naturally in India, parts of Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and northern Australia.
This orchid is a terrestrial plant, which means it grows in the ground. It is also deciduous, so its leaves fall off during certain times of the year. It usually has two leaves, one larger than the other. The plant produces between six and twenty pale green or yellowish flowers with cool purple markings. You can find it growing in rainforests and grassy woodlands.
What the Pointed Corduroy Orchid Looks Like
The Pointed Corduroy Orchid is a plant that grows from the ground. It has two dark green leaves that are shaped like a spear. One leaf is bigger than the other. They can be about 20 to 40 cm (8-16 inches) long and 2 to 2.5 cm (0.8-1 inch) wide.
The plant grows a thin, strong stem that can be 40 to 80 cm (16-31 inches) tall. On this stem, you'll find between six and twenty flowers. These flowers are pale green or yellowish with purple marks. Each flower is about 1.5 to 2 cm (0.6-0.8 inches) long and 1.8 to 2.5 cm (0.7-1 inch) wide.
The flowers are shaped like a star and are "resupinate." This means they are twisted so that the lip (a special petal) faces downwards. The sepals, which are like small leaves protecting the flower, are narrow and triangular. They are about 1.1 to 1.5 cm (0.4-0.6 inches) long and spread out wide.
The petals are oval-shaped, about 0.9 to 1.2 cm (0.4-0.5 inches) long. The labellum, or lip, is the most interesting part. It's about 1.1 to 1.5 cm (0.4-0.6 inches) long and has deep purplish-red veins. It has three parts, called lobes. The middle lobe curves downwards and is wavy, while the side lobes stand upright. This orchid usually blooms between July and November.
How the Pointed Corduroy Orchid Got Its Name
The Pointed Corduroy Orchid was first officially described in 1858 by a scientist named Ferdinand von Mueller. He first called it Dipodium venosum. He wrote about it in a book called Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae.
Later, in 1873, another scientist named George Bentham changed its name to Eulophia venosa. He published this change in his book Flora Australiensis. The second part of its name, venosa, is a Latin word that means "veiny." This probably refers to the purple veins on its labellum.
Where the Pointed Corduroy Orchid Lives
You can find Eulophia venosa growing in different places. It likes woodlands, grassy forests, and the edges of rainforests. This orchid has been found in northern Queensland and the Northern Territory in Australia. It also grows in other countries like New Guinea, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Taiwan.
