Rufous midge orchid facts for kids

The rufous midge-orchid, also known as Genoplesium rufum, is a special type of orchid. It grows only in New South Wales, Australia. This means it is "endemic" to that area, found nowhere else naturally.

This small orchid has a single, thin, wire-like leaf. Its flowers are pink or reddish and hang downwards. There can be up to twenty-five flowers on one stem. The stem is actually joined to the lower part of the leaf. For a long time, people thought this orchid grew in other parts of Australia too, like Queensland and Tasmania. But now, scientists know that those orchids are a different, similar species called Genoplesium clivicola.

What Does the Rufous Midge-Orchid Look Like?

The rufous midge-orchid is a plant that grows from the ground. It is a perennial herb, meaning it lives for more than two years. It also loses its leaves at certain times of the year, which is called being "deciduous".

Leaves and Stems

Each plant has one thin leaf that is 100–160 mm (3.9–6.3 in) long. The leaf is partly joined to the flowering stem. The part of the leaf that is free (not joined) is about 10–20 mm (0.39–0.79 in) long.

Flowers

The orchid has between five and twenty-five flowers on a stem that is 10–40 mm (0.39–1.57 in) tall. The flowers are usually pink or reddish and hang forward. Each flower is small, about 3.5–4.5 mm (0.14–0.18 in) long and 3–5 mm (0.12–0.20 in) wide.

Like other orchids in its group, the flowers are upside down! This means the special lip-shaped petal, called the labellum, is at the top instead of the bottom.

Flower Parts

• The dorsal sepal (the top part of the flower) is egg-shaped. It is 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) long and 1–2 mm (0.039–0.079 in) wide, with a sharp tip.
• The lateral sepals (the side parts) are thin and pointed. They are about 3 mm (0.12 in) long and 1 mm (0.039 in) wide. They spread out from each other.
• The petals are egg-shaped, about 2 mm (0.079 in) long and 1 mm (0.039 in) wide, also with a pointed tip.
• The labellum (the lip petal) is egg-shaped and can be whitish or pinkish. It is 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) long and 1.5–2 mm (0.059–0.079 in) wide. Sometimes it has tiny, uneven edges.
• There is a dark, raised area called a callus in the middle of the labellum. It reaches almost to the tip.

This orchid usually blooms between January and May.

How the Rufous Midge-Orchid Got Its Name

The rufous midge-orchid was first officially described in 1810 by a botanist named Robert Brown. He gave it the name Prasophyllum rufum. He wrote about it in his book, Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen.

Later, in 1989, two other botanists, David Jones and Mark Clements, changed its name to Genoplesium rufum. They even tried to change it again in 2002 to Corunastylis rufa, but this name is not widely accepted by other plant experts.

The word "rufum" in its scientific name comes from a Latin word. It means "red," which fits the reddish color of its flowers!

Where the Rufous Midge-Orchid Lives

You can find the rufous midge-orchid in forests in New South Wales. It is quite common in the area between Ku-ring-gai and Bargo.

As mentioned before, scientists used to think this orchid grew in other Australian states like Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania. However, they now know that the orchids found in those places are actually a different species, Corunastylis clivicola, also known as Genoplesium clivicola.