Mauve leek orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mauve leek orchid |
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| Prasophyllum alpestre growing in the Kosciuszko National Park | |
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The Prasophyllum alpestre, also known as the mauve leek orchid, is a unique type of orchid. It grows only in eastern Australia. This orchid has a single green leaf that looks like a tube. It can grow up to twenty-five flowers that are white, purplish, and green, and they have a nice smell. You can find the mauve leek orchid in cool, high places called subalpine areas. These areas are in New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania.
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What the Mauve Leek Orchid Looks Like
The Mauve leek orchid is a plant that grows on land. It is a perennial plant, which means it lives for more than two years. It also loses its leaves in some seasons, making it a deciduous plant. This orchid has a special underground part called a tuber, which helps it store food.
Leaves and Flowers
Each plant has one tube-shaped leaf. This leaf is usually about 150–350 mm (6–10 in) long and 4–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide. The flowers grow on a tall stem called a flowering spike. This spike can be about 300–800 mm (10–30 in) long.
There are usually between five and twenty-five flowers on each spike. The flowers are white, purplish, and green, and they are about 10–15 mm (0.4–0.6 in) wide. They also have a pleasant smell.
Special Flower Parts
Like other orchids in its group, the Mauve leek orchid has flowers that are "inverted." This means that the labellum (a special lip-like petal) is above the column (the part that holds the pollen) instead of below it.
The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, is shaped like a narrow egg or spear. It is about 7–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long. The side sepals are also 7–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long and are usually joined together. The petals are thin and can be egg-shaped or spoon-shaped. They are about 8–12 mm (0.3–0.5 in) long and spread out wide.
The labellum is shaped like an egg or is oblong. It is about 6–11 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long. This part of the flower turns upwards at an angle of about 60 degrees, and its edges are wavy. The Mauve leek orchid flowers from November to March. This makes it one of the last orchids of its kind to bloom each year.
How it Got its Name
The Mauve leek orchid was officially described in 1998. A botanist named David Jones first wrote about it. He found a sample of the plant near Charlottes Pass in the Kosciuszko National Park. The description was published in a scientific paper called Australian Orchid Research.
The second part of its scientific name, alpestre, is a Latin word. It means "of high mountains." This name was chosen because the Mauve leek orchid grows in high, mountainous areas.
Where the Mauve Leek Orchid Lives
The Mauve leek orchid grows in specific places. You can find it in grasslands and areas with many small plants called herbfields. It likes moist spots. It also grows in woodlands where snow gums (a type of tree called Eucalyptus pauciflora) are common.
This orchid is found in the subalpine regions of New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania. These are cool, high-altitude areas that often get snow.
Related pages
- Prasophyllum suttonii, commonly known as the mauve leek orchid, a species of orchid endemic to the Australian Alps.
