Northern leek orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Northern leek orchid |
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The Prasophyllum secutum, commonly known as the northern leek orchid, is a special type of orchid. It grows only in Tasmania, Australia. This orchid has a single green leaf shaped like a tube. Its flowers are light brown and smell nice, with a whitish part called a labellum. This orchid is quite rare. There are fewer than 500 plants left in the wild, spread across only 18 known groups.
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What Does the Northern Leek Orchid Look Like?
The Northern leek orchid is a plant that lives on land. It is a perennial herb, meaning it lives for more than two years. It also loses its leaves each year. It grows back from an underground tuber, which is like a small storage root.
Its single leaf looks like a green tube. It can be about 10 to 25 centimetres (4 to 10 inches) long. The leaf is about 3 to 4 millimetres (0.1 to 0.2 inches) wide near its purplish-red base. The top part of the leaf is about 4 to 8 centimetres (2 to 3 inches) long.
The Flowers of the Northern Leek Orchid
This orchid grows between nine and thirty flowers on a tall stalk. The stalk can be 3.5 to 14 centimetres (1.4 to 5.5 inches) long. The whole plant can reach a height of 12 to 35 centimetres (5 to 14 inches). The flowers are light brown and have a pleasant smell. Each flower is about 7 to 9 millimetres (0.3 to 0.4 inches) long. They are also about 4 to 5 millimetres (0.16 to 0.20 inches) wide.
Like other leek orchids, these flowers are upside down. This means the labellum (a special lip-like petal) is above the column. Usually, the labellum is below.
- The dorsal sepal is the top part of the flower. It is shaped like a spear or a narrow egg. It is about 5 to 6 millimetres (0.20 to 0.24 inches) long.
- The lateral sepals are on the sides. They are about 6 to 7 millimetres (0.2 to 0.3 inches) long. They grow parallel to each other.
- The petals are thin and about 5 millimetres (0.2 inches) long. They turn forward.
- The labellum is whitish and about 5 millimetres (0.2 inches) long. It sharply bends upwards in the middle. There is a thick, green ridge called a callus in the center of the labellum. This callus is covered with tiny bumps called papillae.
These orchids usually flower in October and November. However, they only bloom after a bushfire has happened in the area the previous summer.
How Was This Orchid Named?
The Northern leek orchid was first officially described in 1998. A botanist named David Jones gave it its scientific name. He found a sample of the plant near Smithton. The description was then published in a scientific book called Australian Orchid Research.
The scientific name for the species is secutum. This is a Latin word that means "followed." This name was chosen because the orchid flowers much more after a fire. It "follows" the fire.
Where Does the Northern Leek Orchid Live?
The Northern leek orchid grows in thick coastal scrubland. This habitat is found between sand dunes. You can find it in northern Tasmania. It also lives on some of the islands in Bass Strait.
Why Is This Orchid Endangered?
It is hard to count exactly how many Northern leek orchids there are. This is because they only flower after a fire. Many groups of these plants have not been seen for many years. About 250 plants are known from just two groups. Experts believe the total number of all plants is around 500.
This orchid faces several threats that put it in danger:
- Land clearing: Its habitat is being destroyed for building or farming.
- Habitat disturbance: Activities that disturb the natural environment where it grows.
- Inappropriate fire regimes: Not enough fires, or fires happening at the wrong time, can harm the orchid. Remember, it needs fire to flower!
- Small population size: With so few plants, it's harder for the species to survive and recover from problems.
