Horned midge orchid facts for kids

The Horned midge orchid (scientific name: Genoplesium sagittiferum) is a tiny and special type of orchid. It grows only in New South Wales, Australia. This small plant has a single thin leaf and can have up to ten small, yellowish-green flowers. Its reddish labellum (a special part of the flower) is quite hairy! In Australia, it's also known as Corunastylis sagittifera.

What Does the Horned Midge Orchid Look Like?

The Horned midge orchid is a plant that lives in the ground. It has a special underground tuber (like a small potato) that helps it survive. This plant is a perennial, meaning it lives for more than two years. It is also deciduous, so it loses its leaves at certain times.

It has one thin leaf, about 50 to 100 mm (2 to 4 inches) long. This leaf is joined to the flowering stem. The free part of the leaf is about 10 to 15 mm (0.4 to 0.6 inches) long.

Its Flowers

The plant grows between two and ten yellowish-green flowers. These flowers often have red streaks on them. They are arranged along a flowering stem that is 5 to 20 mm (0.2 to 0.8 inches) long. This stem is taller than the leaf.

Each flower is about 6 to 7 mm (0.24 to 0.28 inches) long and 5 to 6 mm (0.20 to 0.24 inches) wide. What's interesting is that these flowers are upside down! This means the labellum is above the column, not below it.

Flower Parts

The dorsal sepal (the top part) is egg-shaped. It is about 3 to 4 mm (0.12 to 0.16 inches) long and 2 mm (0.08 inches) wide. It has a pointed tip and smooth edges.

The lateral sepals (the side parts) are long and narrow. They are about 4 to 6 mm (0.16 to 0.24 inches) long and 1.5 mm (0.06 inches) wide. These sepals spread out widely from each other.

The petals are shaped like small spears or eggs. They are about 3 mm (0.12 inches) long and 1 mm (0.04 inches) wide. They have sharp points and smooth edges.

The labellum is reddish and egg-shaped. It is about 3 mm (0.12 inches) long and 1 mm (0.04 inches) wide. Its edges are covered with short hairs. In the middle of the labellum, there is a dark red, tapered callus. This callus extends almost to the tip of the labellum.

This orchid usually flowers between February and May.

How Did It Get Its Name?

The Horned midge orchid was first officially described in 1942. A botanist named Herman Rupp gave it the name Prasophyllum sagittiferum. He wrote about it in a science magazine called The Victorian Naturalist. The first plant used for the description was found near Bell by Erwin Nubling and his wife.

Later, in 1989, two other botanists, David Jones and Mark Clements, changed its name to Genoplesium sagittiferum. They changed the name again in 2002 to Corunastylis sagittifera.

What Does "Sagittiferum" Mean?

The second part of its scientific name, sagittiferum, comes from two Latin words. Sagitta means "arrow," and fero means "to bear" or "to carry." This name refers to the arrowhead shape of the labellum callus, which looks a bit like an arrow.

Where Does the Horned Midge Orchid Live?

The Genoplesium sagittiferum orchid likes to grow among shrubs. It prefers sandy soils. Sometimes, you can find it in mossy areas on rock ledges. This special orchid is found in the higher parts of the Blue Mountains in Australia.