Fairy sphinx orchid facts for kids

The Liparis coelogynoides, also known as the fairy sphinx orchid, is a type of plant in the orchid family. It grows naturally only in a specific area of eastern Australia, usually close to the coast. This orchid is an epiphyte, which means it grows on other plants, like trees, or on rock faces, instead of in the ground. It often grows in small groups. It has two leaves that are joined at their base. Its flowers are usually greenish-white or yellowish and grow on a stem that often hangs down. You can find it on trees and cliffs, especially in mountain ranges near the coast of northern New South Wales and southern Queensland.

What the Fairy Sphinx Orchid Looks Like

The fairy sphinx orchid is an epiphytic plant. This means it's a plant that grows on other plants or rocks, not in the soil. It has oval or almost round parts called pseudobulbs, which are like small swollen stems that store water and nutrients. These pseudobulbs are about 8 to 12 millimeters (0.3 to 0.5 inches) long and 12 to 16 millimeters (0.5 to 0.6 inches) wide.

This orchid usually has two leaves. They are long and narrow, or shaped like a narrow egg. The leaves are pale green, don't have stalks, and are folded lengthwise. They can be 50 to 150 millimeters (2 to 6 inches) long and 8 to 15 millimeters (0.3 to 0.6 inches) wide.

The plant produces between eight and twenty flowers. These flowers are greenish-white or yellowish. Each flower is 11 to 14 millimeters (0.4 to 0.6 inches) long and 10 to 12 millimeters (0.4 to 0.5 inches) wide. They grow on a flowering stem that is often hanging and can be 100 to 200 millimeters (4 to 8 inches) long.

The flower parts called sepals are separate from each other. They are 7 to 10 millimeters (0.3 to 0.4 inches) long and about 1.5 millimeters (0.06 inches) wide, spreading out widely. The petals are 6 to 9 millimeters (0.2 to 0.4 inches) long and about 1 millimeter (0.04 inches) wide. The labellum is a special lip-shaped petal. It is wedge-shaped, bends downwards, and is 8 to 11 millimeters (0.3 to 0.4 inches) long and 4 to 5 millimeters (0.16 to 0.20 inches) wide. Its edges have irregular, small teeth. This orchid blooms between November and March.

How it Got its Name

The fairy sphinx orchid was first officially described in 1860 by a scientist named Ferdinand von Mueller. He first called it Sturmia coelogynoides. He published this description in a book called Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae. His description was based on a plant collected by Ludwig Becker near the start of the Clarence River.

Later, in 1873, another scientist named George Bentham changed its name to Liparis coelogynoides. He published this change in his book Flora Australiensis. The second part of its scientific name, coelogynoides, means it looks similar to orchids in the genus Coelogyne. The ending -oides is a Latin suffix that means "like," "resembling," or "having the form of."

Where it Lives

The Liparis coelogynoides is a common plant and can be found in many places. It grows on trees and on rocky escarpments (steep slopes or cliffs) in rainforests. You can find it between the Bunya Mountains in Queensland and the Hunter River in New South Wales.