Fawn snail orchid facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Fawn snail orchid
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Orchidaceae
Subfamily:	Orchidoideae
Tribe:	Cranichideae
Genus:	Pterostylis
Species:	P. parva
Binomial name
Pterostylis parva D.L.Jones & C.J.French
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The Pterostylis parva, commonly known as the fawn snail orchid, is a special type of orchid. It grows only in the south-west part of Western Australia. Like other "greenhood" orchids, this plant looks different depending on whether it's flowering or not. When it's not flowering, it has a small group of leaves flat on the ground. But when it's ready to bloom, a single flower appears on a stem, with leaves growing along the stem itself. This orchid has a small, fawn (light brownish-yellow), green, and white flower. It's a bit like another orchid called P. timothyi, but smaller.

What Does the Fawn Snail Orchid Look Like?

The Fawn snail orchid (Pterostylis parva) is a plant that grows from the ground. It's a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It's also deciduous, so some parts might die back in certain seasons, but the plant itself survives underground. It has an underground tuber, which is like a small, round storage organ.

When the plant is not flowering, it has a small group of bluish-green leaves called a rosette. This rosette lies flat on the ground and is about 10 to 25 millimeters (about 0.4 to 1 inch) wide.

The Flower and Stem

When the Fawn snail orchid flowers, a single bloom appears on a stem. This flower is fawn, green, and white. It is about 10 to 13 millimeters (about 0.4 to 0.5 inches) long and 3 to 5 millimeters (about 0.1 to 0.2 inches) wide. The flowering stem itself can be 35 to 100 millimeters (about 1.4 to 3.9 inches) tall. There are also one or two small leaves on the flowering stem, each about 3 to 6 millimeters long and 2 to 3 millimeters wide.

The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, and the petals are joined together. They form a hood-like shape over the central part of the flower, which is called the column. This hood is known as a "galea." The dorsal sepal has a short, pointed tip.

The lateral sepals are the side parts of the flower. They are held close to the galea and are about 10 to 17 millimeters (about 0.4 to 0.7 inches) long. They have tips that stand up straight and are quite thick. The labellum (which is like the orchid's "lip") is very small and you can't usually see it from outside the flower.

The Fawn snail orchid blooms during the winter months, from June to early August.

How the Fawn Snail Orchid Got Its Name

The scientific name for the Fawn snail orchid, Pterostylis parva, was officially described in 2015. It was named by two botanists, David Jones and Christopher French. They described it from a plant found in the Truslove Nature Reserve, near a place called Grass Patch. Their description was published in a magazine called Australian Orchid Review.

The second part of its scientific name, parva, comes from a Latin word. In Latin, "parva" means "little." This name fits well because it's a relatively small orchid.

Where the Fawn Snail Orchid Lives

The Fawn snail orchid grows in areas of shrubland and woodland. You can find it in Western Australia, in the region between Southern Cross and Israelite Bay.

Protecting the Fawn Snail Orchid

The good news is that Pterostylis parva is currently considered "not threatened." This means it's not in immediate danger of disappearing. The Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife keeps track of its status to make sure it stays safe.