Granite bunny orchid facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Granite bunny orchid
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Orchidaceae
Subfamily:	Orchidoideae
Tribe:	Diurideae
Genus:	Eriochilus
Species:	E. pulchellus
Binomial name
Eriochilus pulchellus Hopper & A.P.Br.
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The granite bunny orchid (Eriochilus pulchellus) is a special kind of plant from the orchid family. It grows only in Western Australia. This orchid has a single, egg-shaped leaf and can have up to ten small, white flowers with pretty red marks. It's quite common and likes to grow in shallow soil on big granite rocks. Its soft leaf sits above the ground on a thin stem.

What the Granite Bunny Orchid Looks Like

The granite bunny orchid is a plant that grows from an underground tuber (a bit like a small potato). It's a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It's also deciduous, so its leaves fall off at certain times of the year.

It has one egg-shaped or oval leaf. This leaf is about 5 to 15 millimeters (0.2 to 0.6 inches) long and 3 to 8 millimeters (0.1 to 0.3 inches) wide. It sits on a thin stalk that is about 20 to 70 millimeters (0.8 to 2.8 inches) tall.

The plant can have up to ten white flowers. These flowers have a few red marks and are about 10 millimeters (0.4 inches) long and 8 millimeters (0.3 inches) wide. They grow on a stem that can be 20 to 150 millimeters (0.8 to 5.9 inches) tall.

Each flower has different parts:

• The dorsal sepal (the top part) is egg-shaped. It's about 7 to 9 millimeters (0.3 to 0.4 inches) long.
• The lateral sepals (the side parts) are longer, about 10 to 17 millimeters (0.4 to 0.7 inches) long. They spread out forwards.
• The petals are dull green with red tips and edges. They are about 7 to 9 millimeters (0.3 to 0.4 inches) long.
• The labellum (the lip of the flower) is about 7 to 10 millimeters (0.3 to 0.4 inches) long. It has three parts, and the middle part is fleshy with dark red bristles.

These orchids usually flower from April to May.

How It Got Its Name

The granite bunny orchid was first officially described in 2006. This was done by two scientists, Stephen Hopper and Andrew Brown. They found a sample of the plant near Manjimup. Their description was published in a science journal called Nuytsia.

The scientific name pulchellus comes from a Latin word. It means "beautiful little," which describes the pretty flowers of this orchid.

Where It Lives

The granite bunny orchid grows in Western Australia. You can find it on granite rocks in several areas. These include places between Windy Harbour and Albany. It also grows between Esperance and Israelite Bay. You can also find it in the Darling Range near Perth.

Keeping It Safe

The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife checks on plants and animals. They have looked at the granite bunny orchid. They have classified it as "not threatened." This means it is not currently in danger of disappearing.