Ribbed shield orchid facts for kids

The ribbed shield orchid, also known as Nervilia holochila, is a small orchid that grows on land. You can find it in northern Australia. This special plant has up to six flowers that can be pink, greenish, or cream-colored. These flowers don't last very long. They have a special part called a labellum, which is like a lip, and it's usually pink to purple. After the flowers bloom, a dark green, egg-shaped leaf grows from the bottom of the plant's stem.

What Does the Ribbed Shield Orchid Look Like?

The ribbed shield orchid is a plant that lives on land, not on trees. It's a perennial plant, meaning it lives for many years. It's also deciduous, which means its leaves fall off at certain times. These orchids often grow together in groups. However, only a few plants in a group will produce flowers each year.

Flowers and Stem

The plant grows a flowering stem that is about 15 to 25 centimeters (6 to 10 inches) tall. On this stem, you might see up to six flowers. Each flower is about 2 to 3 centimeters (0.8 to 1.2 inches) long and wide. Their colors can be pink, greenish, or cream.

The flowers have parts called sepals, which are about 2 to 2.5 centimeters (0.8 to 1 inch) long. The petals are similar but a little shorter. The labellum, or "lip," of the flower is pink to purple. It's about 1.8 to 2.4 centimeters (0.7 to 0.9 inches) long and 1 to 1.4 centimeters (0.4 to 0.6 inches) wide. This labellum has a wavy edge and dark, hairy lines.

Leaf Development

The flowers of the ribbed shield orchid only last for a few days. After they fade, a single leaf starts to grow. This happens even for plants that didn't flower that year. The leaf stands upright and is dark green. It's about 15 to 20 centimeters (6 to 8 inches) long and 5 to 7 centimeters (2 to 2.8 inches) wide. It has a broad, egg-like shape and a stalk about 3 to 5 centimeters (1.2 to 2 inches) long. These orchids usually flower between November and December in Australia.

Where Does the Ribbed Shield Orchid Live?

You can find the ribbed shield orchid in several parts of northern Australia. It grows in the northern Kimberley area of Western Australia. It's also found in the northern parts of the Northern Territory. Further east, it lives on the Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, reaching as far south as Bowen. You can also spot it on some of the islands in the Torres Strait.

This orchid likes to grow in forests and along the edges of rainforests. It also enjoys wet areas, like around swamps.

How Was the Ribbed Shield Orchid Named?

The ribbed shield orchid was first officially described in 1866. A scientist named Ferdinand von Mueller gave it the name Pogonia holochila. He published this description in a book called Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae.

Later, in 1906, another scientist named Rudolf Schlechter changed its name to Nervilia holochila. The second part of its scientific name, holochila, comes from two ancient Greek words. "Holos" means "whole," and "cheilos" means "lip." This name likely refers to the shape or appearance of the orchid's labellum, or "lip."