Little duck orchid facts for kids

The little duck orchid (its scientific name is Caleana disjuncta) is a special type of orchid. You can find it mainly in Western Australia. There are also a few separate groups of them in Victoria and South Australia. This orchid has a single smooth leaf. Its flower is greenish-yellow and red. It has a flat part called a labellum. This part has tiny bumps, or calli, only near its tip.

What the Little Duck Orchid Looks Like

The Caleana disjuncta has one smooth leaf. It can be dull green or dull red. The leaf is about 10–20 mm (0.4–0.8 in) long. It is also about 3–10 mm (0.1–0.4 in) wide.

Usually, only one flower grows on a thin stem. This stem is about 50–130 mm (2–5 in) tall. The flower itself is greenish-yellow and red. It is about 12–18 mm (0.5–0.7 in) long and 8–12 mm (0.3–0.5 in) wide.

The top part of the flower is called the dorsal sepal. The side parts are lateral sepals and petals. These parts are about 7–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long. They are also about 1–2 mm (0.04–0.08 in) wide. They hang downwards. The dorsal sepal presses against a central part called the column. This forms a shape like a small bucket.

The labellum is a special part of the flower. It is about 10 mm (0.4 in) long. It sits on a strap-like stalk about 5 mm (0.2 in) long. The labellum is flat. Only about one-third of its outer part has shiny black bumps. These bumps are called glands or calli. The little duck orchid flowers from October to December.

How it Got its Name

The little duck orchid was first officially described in 2003. A botanist named David Jones found a sample of it. He found it in the Cox Scrub Conservation Park. Jones first named it Paracaleana disjuncta. He wrote about it in a science magazine called The Orchadian.

Later, in 2014, scientists did more studies. They found that Caleana and Paracaleana are very similar. So, they decided to change the name. The orchid is now called Caleana disjuncta. The Western Australian Herbarium still uses the old name, Paracaleana disjuncta.

The second part of its name, disjuncta, is a Latin word. It means "separate," "distinct," or "remote." This name refers to how the orchid grows in places that are far apart from each other.

Where the Little Duck Orchid Lives

Caleana disjuncta mostly grows in areas with shrubs. These areas are between Margaret River and Israelite Bay in Western Australia.

However, there are also small groups of these orchids. You can find them in three spots in the south-east of South Australia. There are also two spots in Victoria. These are in and near the Grampians National Park.