McIlwraith burr orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids McIlwraith burr orchid |
|
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Dendrobium
|
| Species: |
collinsii
|
| Synonyms | |
|
|
The McIlwraith burr orchid (scientific name: Dendrobium collinsii) is a special type of orchid. It's an epiphytic plant, which means it grows on other plants, like trees, instead of in the soil. This unique orchid is found only in the warm, wet areas of Far North Queensland in Australia. It has a single, thick, dark green leaf on a round stem and a small white flower that doesn't open very wide. You can often find it growing on small trees on the eastern side of mountain ranges.
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
The McIlwraith burr orchid is a herb that usually grows in small clumps. Its stem is shaped like a cylinder, about 10 to 18 millimeters (less than an inch) long and 2 millimeters wide. It has one thick, dark green leaf that is 15 to 30 millimeters long and 7 to 10 millimeters wide.
The Orchid's Flower
Each plant produces a single white flower, which is about 6 to 8 millimeters wide. The flower has small, fleshy, hair-like bumps on its ovary. The sepals (parts that protect the flower bud) are about 3 millimeters long and 2.5 millimeters wide. The petals are similar in length but much narrower. The labellum (a special lip-like petal) is about 4 millimeters long and 2 millimeters wide.
Flowering and Reproduction
This orchid flowers between December and April. However, its flower does not open widely and only lasts for a short time. The McIlwraith burr orchid is self-pollinated, meaning it can pollinate itself without needing help from insects or other plants.
How the Orchid Got Its Name
The McIlwraith burr orchid was first officially described in 1981 by a scientist named Peter S. ('Bill') Lavarack. He found a sample of the plant near Rocky River on the Cape York Peninsula. At first, he named it Cadetia collinsii. This description was published in a science journal called Austrobaileya.
Changing the Name
Later, in 2011, two other scientists, André Schuiteman and Peter Adams, changed its name to Dendrobium collinsii. They made this change after studying the plant's molecular phylogenetics. This is a way of understanding how different plants are related to each other by looking at their DNA. The second part of its scientific name, collinsii, honors "Rev. R. Collins of Atherton." He encouraged Peter Lavarack in his early studies of Australian orchids.
Where Does It Grow?
The McIlwraith burr orchid grows on small trees. You can find it on ridges, slopes, and in gorges. It prefers the eastern side of the McIlwraith, Janet, and Iron Ranges in tropical North Queensland.
