Lily-of-the-valley orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lily-of-the-valley orchid |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Dendrobium
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| Species: |
monophyllum
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The lily-of-the-valley orchid (its scientific name is Dendrobium monophyllum) is a beautiful plant that grows in Australia. It is a type of orchid that can grow on other plants or on rocks. This orchid has pale green or yellowish stems that look a bit like bulbs. It usually has one or two leaves. When it blooms, it produces lovely bell-shaped yellow flowers. You can find this orchid growing in the rainforests of New South Wales and Queensland.
What the Lily-of-the-Valley Orchid Looks Like
The lily-of-the-valley orchid is a herb that often grows in groups. It can grow on trees (this is called being epiphytic) or on rocks (this is called being lithophytic).
Its special stems, called pseudobulbs, are pale green to yellowish. They are about 60–120 mm (2–5 in) long and 20–30 mm (0.8–1 in) wide. These pseudobulbs have grooves on them. Each pseudobulb usually has one or two thin, bright green leaves. These leaves are about 80–120 mm (3.1–4.7 in) long and 25–30 mm (0.98–1.2 in) wide.
This orchid produces a flowering stem that is about 100–200 mm (4–8 in) long. On this stem, you'll find between five and twenty bell-shaped yellow flowers. Each flower is about 6–8 mm (0.24–0.31 in) wide.
Let's look at the parts of the flower:
- The top part, called the dorsal sepal, is egg-shaped. It's about 6–7 mm (0.24–0.28 in) long and 3 mm (0.1 in) wide.
- The side parts, called lateral sepals, are shaped like triangles. They are about 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) long and 4 mm (0.2 in) wide.
- The petals are about 6–7 mm (0.24–0.28 in) long and 2 mm (0.08 in) wide.
- The labellum (which is a special lip-like petal) is about 7 mm (0.3 in) long and 5 mm (0.2 in) wide. It has two small ridges down its middle.
You can usually see these orchids flowering from August to December.
How the Orchid Got Its Name
The lily-of-the-valley orchid was first officially described in 1859. A scientist named Ferdinand von Mueller wrote about it after a plant was collected near Moreton Bay by William Hill.
The scientific name monophyllum comes from ancient Greek words. Monos means "single" or "alone," and phyllon means "leaf." So, monophyllum means "single leaf," which refers to how the plant often has just one leaf on its pseudobulb.
Where the Orchid Lives
The lily-of-the-valley orchid grows on trees, rocks, and cliffs. It likes to be on the well-lit upper branches of rainforest trees. You can find it in a wide area, from the Atherton Tableland in Queensland down to Grafton in New South Wales.
