Globular mignonette orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Globular mignonette orchid |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Microtis (plant)
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| Species: |
globula
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The Microtis globula, also known as the globular mignonette orchid or globular onion orchid, is a special type of orchid. It grows only in the south-west coastal part of Western Australia. This unique plant has a single hollow leaf that looks a bit like an onion.
It also grows up to thirty-five small flowers. These flowers are greenish-yellow and almost perfectly round, like tiny globes. This orchid often grows in large groups. However, it only blooms and shows its flowers after a hot bushfire happened the summer before.
Contents
About the Globular Mignonette Orchid
The globular mignonette orchid is a plant that grows from an underground tuber (like a small potato). It's a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It's also deciduous, so its leaves might fall off at certain times.
It has one straight, smooth, tube-shaped leaf. This leaf is about 100 to 250 millimeters (4 to 10 inches) long and 3 to 4 millimeters (0.1 to 0.2 inches) wide.
What the Flowers Look Like
Between eight and thirty-five greenish-yellow flowers grow on a stem. This stem can be 200 to 350 millimeters (8 to 14 inches) tall. The flowers are almost perfectly round, about 2.5 millimeters (0.1 inches) long and wide.
Each flower has different parts:
- The top sepal (called the dorsal sepal) is egg-shaped or round. It's about 2 millimeters (0.08 inches) long and wide and forms a hood over the flower.
- The side sepals are triangle-shaped. They are about 2 millimeters (0.08 inches) long and 1 millimeter (0.04 inches) wide. Their top edges slightly cover the dorsal sepal.
- The petals are egg-shaped, about 1.5 millimeters (0.06 inches) long and 1 millimeter (0.04 inches) wide. They are surrounded by the sepals.
- The labellum (a special orchid petal) is 1.5 to 2 millimeters (0.06 to 0.08 inches) long and about 1 millimeter (0.04 inches) wide. It doesn't have a clear callus (a thickened part).
When it Flowers
This orchid usually flowers from December to January. But here's the interesting part: it only flowers after a very hot or late bushfire happened in the area during the previous summer.
Naming the Orchid
The Microtis globula was officially described in 1984. This was done by a scientist named Robert John Bates. He found a sample of the plant near Walpole. The description was then published in a science journal.
The second part of its name, globula, comes from a Latin word. "Globulus" means "a little ball" or "globule." This name was chosen because of the round shape of its flowers.
Where it Lives
The globular mignonette orchid grows in areas that are wet in winter and have peaty soil. You can find it between the towns of Albany and Northcliffe. These areas are part of the Jarrah Forest and Warren regions in Western Australia.
Protecting the Orchid
The Microtis globula is considered a special plant that needs protection. The Government of Western Australia's Department of Parks and Wildlife lists it as "Priority Four". This means it is rare or almost threatened.
It is also listed as "vulnerable" under a national law called the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) Act. This means it faces a high risk of becoming endangered in the wild. The biggest danger to this orchid is when fires happen at the wrong time or are not managed well.
