Mountain beard orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mountain beard orchid |
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| Calochilus montanus on Black Mountain in the A.C.T. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Calochilus
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| Species: |
montanus
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The mountain beard orchid (scientific name: Calochilus montanus) is a special type of orchid. It grows only in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory in Australia. This orchid has a single, thick, dark green leaf. It also grows up to fifteen green flowers with reddish lines. The flower's special lip (called a labellum) has two shiny blue or purple spots. There's also no ridge between the two "eyes" on the flower's central part (called the column).
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What Does the Mountain Beard Orchid Look Like?
The mountain beard orchid is a plant that grows from an underground tuber (like a small potato). It's a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It's also a deciduous plant, so its leaves fall off at certain times of the year.
It has one thick, dark green leaf. This leaf is shaped like a long, narrow spear. It can be about 15 to 25 centimetres (6 to 10 inches) long. The leaf is fully grown when the first flower opens.
The orchid grows a tall stem, about 40 to 90 centimetres (16 to 35 inches) high. On this stem, there are usually 2 to 15 green flowers with reddish lines.
Flower Parts
Each flower has several parts:
- The top petal, called the dorsal sepal, stands upright. It is about 9 to 12 millimetres long.
- The side petals, called lateral sepals, are similar in length but a bit narrower.
- The other petals are about 5 to 7 millimetres long.
- The labellum (the orchid's special lip) curves forward. It is about 11 to 15 millimetres long. Near its base, it has two shiny blue or purple plates.
- The middle part of the labellum has bristly hairs. These hairs can be up to 4 millimetres long.
- The very tip of the labellum has a small, sticky "tail." This tail is about 3 to 4 millimetres long.
- The column is the central part of the flower. It has two purple "eyes." Unlike some other orchids, there is no ridge between these "eyes."
This orchid usually blooms, or flowers, between October and December.
How Did It Get Its Name?
The mountain beard orchid was officially described in 2006. This was done by a botanist named David Jones. He found a specimen of this orchid on Black Mountain in the Australian Capital Territory.
The scientific name montanus comes from a Latin word. It means "of mountains." This name was chosen because the orchid grows in mountain areas.
Where Does It Live?
The mountain beard orchid likes to grow in open forests. You can find it on the slopes of mountains. It lives in the Australian Capital Territory. It also grows in New South Wales, especially in areas south of the Moonbi Range.
