Hatch's sun orchid facts for kids

Hatch's sun orchid, also known as Thelymitra hatchii, is a special type of orchid. It belongs to the orchid family, Orchidaceae. This beautiful flower grows only in New Zealand, which means it is endemic there. It has one tall, dark reddish-green leaf that is deeply grooved. The plant can grow up to eight lovely mauve or pink flowers. Each flower has a red part with a yellow top, and fuzzy yellow hairs on its sides.

What Hatch's Sun Orchid Looks Like

Hatch's sun orchid is a plant that grows from a tuber (a swollen underground stem). It is a perennial herb, meaning it lives for more than two years and does not have a woody stem. It has one upright leaf that is dark reddish-green to reddish-brown. This leaf is deeply grooved and quite thick. It can be from 100 to 300 mm (about 4 to 12 inches) long and 7 to 15 mm (about 0.3 to 0.6 inches) wide.

The plant produces up to eight flowers. These flowers are usually pale to deep mauve, but can sometimes be pink. They do not have any spots or stripes. Each flower is about 15 to 20 mm (about 0.6 to 0.8 inches) wide. The flowers grow on a stem that can reach up to 600 mm (about 24 inches) tall.

Inside the flower, there are special parts. The "arms" on the sides have thick tufts of orange or yellow hairs. Sometimes these hairs can be white or pink. The part on top of the anther (which holds pollen) is usually dark red. It often has two pointed yellow tips. You can see these orchids flowering from November to March.

How it was Named

The Hatch's sun orchid, Thelymitra hatchii, was first officially described in 1968. A botanist named Lucy Moore found and collected a plant near Oxford. She then wrote about it in the New Zealand Journal of Botany.

The second part of its scientific name, hatchii, was chosen to honor another New Zealand botanist. His name was Edwin Daniel Hatch.

Where Hatch's Sun Orchid Grows

This type of orchid usually grows in open areas. You can often find it near scrubland (areas with small bushes) or in bogs (wet, spongy ground). Hatch's sun orchid is found on the North Island, South Island, and Stewart Island in New Zealand.