Oaklands doubletail facts for kids

Diuris callitrophila, often called the Oaklands doubletail or Oaklands diuris, is a very special type of orchid. It's found only in a small area of southern New South Wales, Australia. This unique flower usually has two or three leaves and can grow up to nine beautiful whitish and mauve flowers. What makes it stand out are its unusually long side parts, called sepals, which hang downwards.

What Does the Oaklands Doubletail Look Like?

The Oaklands doubletail is a perennial plant that grows from a tuber (a kind of underground storage stem, like a small potato). It has two or three leaves that are about 150–350 mm (6–10 in) long and 5–9 mm (0.2–0.4 in) wide. These leaves are often folded along their length.

This orchid produces between three and nine flowers on a stem that can be 300–500 mm (10–20 in) tall. Each flower is about 25–35 mm (0.98–1.4 in) wide and can be white, purple, or mauve, often with darker patterns.

Let's look at the parts of the flower:

• The dorsal sepal is the top part of the flower. It stands upright and is about 10–20 mm (0.4–0.8 in) long and 8–12 mm (0.3–0.5 in) wide.
• The lateral sepals are the two side parts that hang downwards. They are very long, ranging from 40–120 mm (2–5 in) long, but only 2–4 mm (0.08–0.2 in) wide.
• The petals look a bit like ears and stand up above the rest of the flower. They have a blade (the main part) that is 6–16 mm (0.2–0.6 in) long and 6–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) wide. The petals also have a dark stalk that is 3–7 mm (0.12–0.28 in) long.
• The labellum is the "landing pad" for insects. It's about 10–15 mm (0.4–0.6 in) long and has three parts, called lobes. The middle lobe is shaped like a fan, 10–15 mm (0.4–0.6 in) long and 8–15 mm (0.3–0.6 in) wide. The two side lobes are smaller, 3–6 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long and 1–3 mm (0.04–0.1 in) wide.
• At the base of the labellum, there are two raised ridges, called callus ridges, which are about 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long.

This orchid usually flowers in November and December.

How Did It Get Its Name?

Scientists give plants and animals special names to classify them. This process is called taxonomy. The Diuris callitrophila was officially described in 2003 by a botanist named David Jones. He found a sample of this orchid near a place called Oaklands. That's why it's often called the "Oaklands doubletail." The description was published in a special magazine called The Orchadian.

Where Does It Live?

The Oaklands doubletail orchid is very rare. It's only found in a few spots between Oaklands and Urana in New South Wales. It likes to grow in small groups in grassy areas, especially in woodlands where a type of tree called Callitris grows.

Protecting This Special Orchid

Sadly, the Diuris callitrophila is considered "endangered." This means it's at a high risk of disappearing forever. It's protected under the New South Wales Threatened Species Conservation Act.

The main reasons this orchid is in danger are:

• Limited Space: It only grows in a few small areas.
• Small Numbers: There aren't many of these orchids left.
• Weeds: Other plants (weeds) can grow and take over its habitat.
• Grazing: Animals eating the plants can harm them.
• Fires: The wrong kind of fires can damage its habitat.

To help save this orchid, people are working to collect its seeds and the special fungus it needs to grow. They are then growing the orchids carefully and planning to plant them back in their natural homes.