Fairy orchids facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fairy orchids |
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| Oberonia titania illustration by Lewis Roberts | |
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| Oberonia sp. Nagara Hole National Park, India |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Epidendroideae |
| Tribe: | Malaxideae |
| Subtribe: | Malaxidinae |
| Genus: | Oberonia Lindl. |
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Oberonia, commonly known as fairy orchids, is a group of flowering plants in the orchid family. These special orchids often grow on other plants or rocks, not in the soil. Their leaves are arranged in a cool fan shape. They have lots of tiny, cup-shaped flowers that grow on a long, arching stem. There are about 240 different kinds of fairy orchids! You can find them in warm, tropical places from Africa all the way to the Pacific Ocean.
What Fairy Orchids Look Like
Fairy orchids are unique plants that usually grow on trees (these are called epiphytes) or on rocks (these are called lithophytes). They don't grow in the ground like most plants. Their leaves are arranged in a neat, fan-like pattern, overlapping at the bottom and spreading out at the top.
These orchids produce many tiny flowers. The flowers are small, shaped like little cups, and don't last very long. They grow in circles or spirals along a long, arching stem that comes out from the top leaves.
Each flower has parts called sepals and petals. These parts are usually similar in shape and are separate from each other. The petals are a bit narrower than the sepals. The flower also has a special lip-like part called the labellum. This labellum is firmly attached to the base of the flower's central part, called the column, and usually has three distinct sections or lobes.
How Fairy Orchids Got Their Name
The group of plants called Oberonia was first officially described in 1830 by a scientist named John Lindley. He wrote about them in his book, The Genera and Species of Orchidaceous Plants.
The name Oberonia comes from Oberon, who is known as the king of the fairies in stories. This name was chosen because the flowers of these orchids are incredibly tiny. Their unusual way of growing on the flowering stems also reminded people of something magical, like fairies!
Where Fairy Orchids Grow
Fairy orchids are found in many warm parts of the world. They are native to tropical Africa and southern Asia. This includes countries like India, China, Japan, and places in Indochina, Indonesia, and the Philippines. You can also find them in Australia and on various islands across the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
