Notched onion orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Notched onion orchid |
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| Microtis arenaria in the Mount Remarkable National Park | |
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| Genus: |
Microtis (plant)
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| Species: |
angusii
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The notched onion orchid (also known as Microtis arenaria) is a special type of orchid. It grows only in south-eastern Australia. This orchid has a single leaf that looks a bit like an onion. It also has many small, yellowish-green flowers that smell nice. You can find this orchid in many different places, as it is quite common.
What it Looks Like
The notched onion orchid is a plant that grows from the ground. It is a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It also loses its leaves at certain times, like a deciduous tree. This plant has a single, tall, smooth leaf that looks like a tube. This leaf can be about 30 to 80 centimeters (12 to 31 inches) long. It is about 6 to 7 millimeters (0.2 to 0.3 inches) wide.
The orchid grows a flowering stem that can be 35 to 60 centimeters (14 to 24 inches) tall. On this stem, you can find between ten and sixty yellowish-green flowers. These flowers are usually crowded together and have a pleasant smell. Each flower is small, about 3 to 3.5 millimeters (0.12 to 0.14 inches) long. They are also about 2 to 2.5 millimeters (0.08 to 0.10 inches) wide.
The top part of the flower is called the dorsal sepal. It is shaped like an egg and is about 2.5 millimeters (0.1 inch) long and wide. Its tip points slightly upwards. The side sepals are also about 2.5 millimeters long. They are about 1 millimeter (0.04 inch) wide, and their tips are rolled underneath.
The petals are curved and shaped like a spear. They are about 2 millimeters (0.08 inch) long and 1 millimeter wide. These petals are tucked under the top sepal. The bottom part of the flower is called the labellum. It curves downwards and is about 3.5 millimeters (0.14 inch) long. It is also about 3 millimeters (0.12 inch) wide. The edges of the labellum are wavy, and it has a small notch at its tip. There is also a bumpy area in the middle of the labellum. This orchid usually flowers from September to December.
How it Got its Name
The notched onion orchid was first officially described in 1840. A scientist named John Lindley gave it the scientific name Microtis arenaria. He wrote about it in a book called The Genera and Species of Orchidaceous Plants. The second part of its name, arenaria, comes from a Latin word. It means "sandy," which might tell us something about where it likes to grow.
Where it Lives
The notched onion orchid is very common in south-eastern Australia. You can find it in south-eastern New South Wales, all over Victoria, in Tasmania, and in south-eastern South Australia. This orchid can grow in many different places. It lives in sandy areas like sandhills near the coast. It can also be found on rocky areas further inland. However, it is most often seen in sandy places along the coast.
