Hinged dragon orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hinged dragon orchid |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Caladenia
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| Species: |
drakeoides
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| Synonyms | |
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Drakonorchis drakeoides (Hopper & A.P.Br.) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. |
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The Hinged Dragon Orchid, also known by its scientific name Caladenia drakeoides, is a special type of orchid. It grows only in the south-west part of Western Australia. This unique plant has one fuzzy leaf and a single flower that is greenish-yellow and red. What makes it really interesting is its "lip" or labellum, which is hinged and looks a lot like a female thynnid wasp.
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What the Hinged Dragon Orchid Looks Like
The Hinged Dragon Orchid is a plant that grows from an underground part called a tuber. It can grow alone or in small groups of up to ten plants. It has one light green leaf that lies close to the ground and is covered in fine hairs. This leaf is usually about 3 to 6 centimeters (1.2 to 2.4 inches) long and 4 to 12 millimeters (0.16 to 0.47 inches) wide.
Usually, only one flower grows on a stalk that stands about 18 to 30 centimeters (7 to 12 inches) tall. The flowers are about 2 to 3 centimeters (0.8 to 1.2 inches) long and 2 centimeters (0.8 inches) wide. They look very similar to flowers from another group of orchids called Drakaea.
The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, curves backward. It is about 12 to 18 millimeters (0.47 to 0.71 inches) long. The side sepals and petals hang down and are about 12 to 18 millimeters long. The most amazing part is the labellum, which is greenish-yellow and red. It's covered with dark maroon hairs and small bumps called calli. This labellum is loosely hinged and looks like the body of an insect, about 5 to 6 millimeters (0.20 to 0.24 inches) long. It even has a yellow to red "head" about 2 millimeters (0.08 inches) across. This false insect body is strongly bent towards the center of the flower. You can see these unique flowers from August to early October.
How it Got its Name
The Hinged Dragon Orchid, Caladenia drakeoides, was officially described in 2001 by two scientists, Stephen Hopper and Andrew Brown. They found a sample of the plant near a place called Dalwallinu.
The name drakeoides comes from the fact that its flowers look very much like those of orchids in the Drakaea group. The word -oides in Latin means "likeness" or "resembling." So, drakeoides means "like a Drakaea."
Where it Lives
The Hinged Dragon Orchid grows in special places in Western Australia. You can find it among shrubs near salt lakes and in areas that get wet during winter. These areas are located between Bonnie Rock and Lake Moore.
How it Reproduces
Just like the Drakaea orchids, the Hinged Dragon Orchid has a clever way to get pollinated. It tricks male thynnid wasps! The flower's labellum looks and even smells like a female wasp. When a male wasp tries to mate with the flower, it accidentally helps to spread the orchid's pollen. This is a fascinating example of how plants and insects work together in nature.
Protecting the Hinged Dragon Orchid
The Hinged Dragon Orchid is considered a "Threatened Flora" by the Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife. This means it's a very rare plant that needs protection. It's also listed as "Endangered" (EN) under a national law called the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).
The biggest dangers to this special orchid are:
- Weed invasion: Other plants, called weeds, can grow too close and take away the space and nutrients the orchid needs.
- Grazing animals: Goats (Capra hircus) and sheep (Ovis aries) sometimes eat the orchids, which harms their populations.
Efforts are being made to protect these unique orchids so they can continue to thrive in Western Australia.
