Harlequin orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Harlequin orchid |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Sarcochilus
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| Species: |
hirticalcar
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| Synonyms | |
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The Sarcochilus hirticalcar, also known as the harlequin orchid, is a small and special plant. It is an epiphytic orchid, which means it grows on other plants like trees, but it doesn't harm them. This unique orchid is found only in Queensland, Australia.
It usually has up to eight bright green leaves. Its pretty flowers are cream-coloured to bright yellow. They also have cool purplish or reddish-brown stripes.
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What the Harlequin Orchid Looks Like
The harlequin orchid is a small plant that lives on trees. It has stems that are about 2 to 4 centimeters (0.8 to 1.6 inches) long. It grows between two and ten leaves. These leaves are tough, bright green, and can be straight or slightly curved. They are usually 5 to 12 centimeters (2 to 4.7 inches) long and 1 to 1.5 centimeters (0.4 to 0.6 inches) wide.
The orchid produces between two and twelve flowers on a stem that is 5 to 12 centimeters (2 to 4.7 inches) long. Each flower is cream-coloured or bright yellow with purple or reddish-brown stripes. They are about 7 to 8 millimeters (0.3 inches) long and 10 to 12 millimeters (0.4 to 0.5 inches) wide.
Each flower has different parts. The top sepal (a leaf-like part) is 4 to 6 millimeters (0.16 to 0.24 inches) long. The side sepals are a bit longer. The petals are about 4 to 5 millimeters (0.16 to 0.2 inches) long. The labellum (the orchid's special lip) is 3 to 4 millimeters (0.12 to 0.16 inches) long and has three parts called lobes. The side lobes stand up and have purple stripes inside. The middle lobe is covered in tiny white hairs.
When Harlequin Orchids Bloom
Harlequin orchids usually bloom between October and December. However, even when it's flowering time, only about three flowers open up at once.
How the Harlequin Orchid Got Its Name
The harlequin orchid was first officially described in 1967. A scientist named Alick Dockrill gave it the name Parasarcochilus hirticalcar. He wrote about it in a book called Australasian Sarcanthinae.
Later, in 1998, two other scientists, Mark Clements and Benjamin John Wallace, changed its name to Sarcochilus hirticalcar. The second part of its scientific name, hirticalcar, comes from two Latin words. Hirtus means "hairy" or "shaggy," and calcar means "a spur." This name likely refers to the hairy part of the orchid's flower.
Where Harlequin Orchids Live
The Sarcochilus hirticalcar grows on trees in rainforests. It also likes to grow along rivers. It is often found growing on a specific type of tree called Dillenia alata.
This orchid is only found in a place called the McIlwraith Range in Queensland. It grows at heights of about 300 to 600 meters (980 to 2,000 feet) above sea level.
