Beetle orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Beetle orchid |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Peristeranthus
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| Species: |
hillii
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The beetle orchid, also called the brown fairy-chain orchid, is a special type of plant. Its scientific name is Peristeranthus hillii. It's the only species in its group, called the Peristeranthus genus. This plant belongs to the amazing orchid family, known as Orchidaceae.
This orchid often grows on other plants or rocks. It has stems that hang down. It also has a few tough, leathery leaves. You can see many pale green flowers on it, which sometimes have spots. The beetle orchid mostly lives on tree trunks and thick vines in rainforests. You can find it in Australia, from the Bloomfield River in Queensland down to Port Macquarie in New South Wales.
Contents
What Does the Beetle Orchid Look Like?
The beetle orchid is a herb that grows on other plants or rocks. It has one or two main parts that hang down. Its stems can be from 30–250 millimetres (1.2–9.8 in) long.
Each stem has about three to ten long, narrow leaves. These leaves are usually 150–250 millimetres (5.9–9.8 in) long and 15–40 millimetres (0.59–1.6 in) wide. They have many lines running through them and often have a tip that droops. Sometimes, the leaves are a bit twisted.
This orchid produces many flowers, usually between 25 and 75. These flowers are pale green and often have red marks. They are small, about 6–8 millimetres (0.24–0.31 in) long and 5–7 millimetres (0.20–0.28 in) wide. The flowers grow on hanging stems that are 150–250 millimetres (5.9–9.8 in) long.
The sepals and petals of the flower spread out wide. They are about 3 millimetres (0.12 in) long and 1 millimetre (0.039 in) wide. The labellum (which is a special part of an orchid flower) is yellow with red spots. It's about 2.5 millimetres (0.098 in) long and 3 millimetres (0.12 in) wide. This labellum has three parts, called lobes. The side lobes are shaped like triangles. The middle lobe has a hollow, pointy part. You can usually see these orchids flowering from September to October.
How the Beetle Orchid Got Its Name
The beetle orchid was first officially described in 1859. A scientist named Ferdinand von Mueller gave it the name Saccolabium hillii. He wrote about it in his book, Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae. He used a plant sample collected by Walter Hill near Moreton Bay.
Later, in 1954, another scientist, Trevor Edgar Hunt, changed its name to Peristeranthus hillii. Hunt explained that the name Peristeranthus comes from two Greek words. Peristera means "dove," and anthus means "flower." He thought the flower looked a bit like a dove. The second part of the name, hillii, honors Walter Hill, who first collected the plant.
Where the Beetle Orchid Lives
The Peristeranthus hillii orchid mostly grows on tree trunks and vines. It prefers rainforests in warm, wet areas, like the tropics. It also lives in coastal and nearby areas in subtropical regions.
You can find this orchid in Australia. Its range stretches from the Bloomfield River in Queensland down to Port Macquarie in New South Wales.
Protecting the Beetle Orchid
Sadly, the beetle orchid is considered "vulnerable" in New South Wales. This means it's at risk of disappearing. It's protected under the New South Wales Threatened Species Conservation Act.
The main dangers to this orchid include:
- Habitat loss: Its natural home is being destroyed.
- Storm damage: Strong storms can harm the plants.
- Wrong fire management: Fires that are too frequent or too intense can hurt them.
- Illegal collecting: Some people illegally take these orchids from the wild.
See also
In Spanish: Peristeranthus para niños
