Green ogre orchid facts for kids

The green ogre orchid (Peristylus chlorandrellus) is a special kind of orchid. It grows only in the north-eastern part of Queensland, Australia. This unique plant has green flowers with a cool, three-lobed lip, which is called a labellum.

About the Green Ogre Orchid

The green ogre orchid is a tuberous plant. This means it has a round, underground storage part, like a potato. It is also a perennial herb, which means it lives for more than two years and does not have a woody stem.

This plant usually has four to seven dark green, juicy leaves. These leaves grow in a circle around the bottom of its stem, forming a shape called a rosette. The leaves can be about 9 to 17 centimeters (3.5 to 6.7 inches) long. They are also about 2.5 to 3 centimeters (1 to 1.2 inches) wide.

The green ogre orchid grows a tall flowering stem. This stem can be anywhere from 10 to 60 centimeters (4 to 24 inches) tall. On this stem, you can find between six and thirty-six green flowers. Each flower is about 8 to 10 millimeters (0.3 to 0.4 inches) long and 6 to 7 millimeters (0.2 to 0.3 inches) wide.

Each flower has different parts:

• The dorsal sepal is like a small leaf at the top. It is about 3 millimeters long and helps form a hood over the flower's central part, called the column.
• The lateral sepals are similar in size to the dorsal sepal. They stand upright on the sides.
• The petals are a bit longer and wider than the sepals.
• The labellum is the most interesting part. It's about 5 millimeters long and 7 to 8 millimeters wide. It has three lobes, or sections. The middle lobe is about 2 millimeters long, while the side lobes are longer but thinner.

You can usually see these orchids flowering from May to July.

How Did It Get Its Name?

The green ogre orchid was officially described in 2004. This was done by two botanists, David Jones and Mark Clements. They published their description in a magazine called The Orchadian.

The scientific name, Peristylus chlorandrellus, has a special meaning. The word chlorandrellus comes from ancient languages:

• Chloros is an Ancient Greek word that means "green."
• Aner is another Ancient Greek word that means "a man."
• The ending -ellus is a Latin suffix that means "little."

So, the name hints at the plant's green color and its small size.

Where Does It Live?

The green ogre orchid likes to grow in rainforest areas. You can find it in Queensland, Australia. Its home stretches between the McIlwraith Range and a town called Ingham.