Dense mignonette orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dense mignonette orchid |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
| Tribe: | Diurideae |
| Genus: | Microtis |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: |
M. m. subsp. densiflora
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| Trinomial name | |
| Microtis media subsp. densiflora (Benth.) R.J.Bates
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| Synonyms | |
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The dense mignonette orchid is a special type of orchid. Its scientific name is Microtis media subsp. densiflora. This orchid only grows in the southwest part of Western Australia. This means it is "endemic" to that area.
This orchid has one smooth, tube-shaped leaf. Its flower stem can have up to 150 small, yellowish-green flowers. The dense mignonette orchid is different from its close relative, Microtis media subsp. media. The main differences are the shape of its flower stem and a part of the flower called the "labellum."
What Does It Look Like?
The dense mignonette orchid is a plant that grows in the ground. It is a "perennial" plant, meaning it lives for many years. It is also "deciduous", which means it loses its leaves during certain seasons. This plant is a "herb" with a special underground storage part called a "tuber".
It has a single leaf that stands straight up. This leaf is smooth and shaped like a tube. It can be from 250 to 600 mm (about 10 to 24 inches) long. The leaf is usually 3 to 8 mm (about 0.1 to 0.3 inches) wide.
The plant produces a thick, upright flower stem. This stem can be 200 to 500 mm (about 8 to 20 inches) long. It holds many small, greenish-yellow flowers. There can be anywhere from 20 to 150 flowers packed closely together on the stem.
Each flower is about 5 to 6 mm (0.2 inches) long and 4 to 5 mm (0.16 inches) wide. The top part of the flower, called the "dorsal sepal", stands up. It is about 3 mm long and 2 mm wide. The "lateral sepals" are on the sides and curl downwards. They are about 2 mm long and 1 mm wide.
The "petals" of the flower face forward. They are about 2 mm long and 1 mm wide. The "labellum" is a special lip-like part of the orchid flower. For this orchid, it is thin and has uneven edges. It is 2 to 3.5 mm long and 1 to 1.5 mm wide. It also has a small bump called a "callus".
You can see these orchids flowering from October to January.
How Was It Named?
The dense mignonette orchid was first officially described in 1873. A botanist named George Bentham gave it its first scientific name. He called it Microtis parviflora var. densiflora. He wrote about it in a book called Flora Australiensis.
Later, in 1990, another botanist named Robert Bates changed its classification. He made it a subspecies of Microtis media. This included two other subspecies: media and quadrata. However, quadrata was later recognized as its own species. This was done by David Jones and Mark Clements.
The name "densiflora" comes from two Latin words. "Densus" means thick, crowded, or dense. "Flos" means flower. So, "densiflora" refers to how the flowers are packed closely together on the stem.
Where Does It Grow?
The dense mignonette orchid grows in Western Australia. You can find it in the area between the cities of Perth and Albany. It likes to grow in wet places, especially during certain seasons.
Is It Protected?
The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife keeps track of plants. They have classified Microtis media subsp. densiflora as "not threatened." This means it is not currently in danger of disappearing.
