Native fan orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Native fan orchid |
|
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Phreatia
|
| Species: |
micrantha
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Synonyms
Oberonia micrantha A.Rich. in J.S.C.Domont d'Urville
Rhynchophreatia micrantha (A.Rich.) N.Hallé Rhipidorchis micrantha (A.Rich.) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. Eria richardiana Rchb.f. in B.Seemann Eria sphaerocarpa Rchb.f. in B.Seemann Thelasis samoensis Kraenzl. Oberonia papuana F.M.Bailey Phreatia macrophylla Schltr. Phreatia samoensis (Kraenzl.) Schltr. Phreatia graeffei Kraenzl. in H.G.A.Engler (ed.) Phreatia richardiana (Rchb.f.) Kraenzl. in H.G.A.Engler (ed.) Phreatia sarcothece Schltr. Phreatia collina Schltr. nom. illeg. Phreatia macrophylloides Kraenzl. Phreatia robusta R.S.Rogers Phreatia clivicola W.Kittr. |
|
The native fan orchid, also known as Phreatia micrantha, is a special kind of plant. It belongs to the amazing orchid family. This orchid often grows on other plants or rocks. It has four to ten leaves that look like a fan. These leaves wrap around its stem at the bottom. You can spot many tiny, white, cup-shaped flowers growing along a thin, strong stem. This beautiful orchid is found in places from Papuasia to the western Pacific.
Contents
What Does the Native Fan Orchid Look Like?
The native fan orchid is a herb that grows on other plants (an epiphyte) or on rocks (a lithophyte). Its stem slowly gets longer over time. It usually has between four and ten leaves. These leaves are arranged in two rows, making them look like a fan. Each leaf can be about 10 to 35 centimeters (4 to 14 inches) long. They are also about 2 to 2.5 centimeters (0.8 to 1 inch) wide. The bases of the leaves wrap around the stem.
Flowers and Their Features
This orchid produces many small, white flowers. Each flower is shaped like a cup and is about 2 to 2.5 millimeters (0.08 to 0.1 inch) long and wide. These tiny flowers grow along a thin, wiry stem. This flowering stem can be quite long, from 20 to 45 centimeters (8 to 18 inches). The outer parts of the flower, called sepals, are about 1.5 millimeters long. The inner parts, called petals, are a bit shorter and narrower. The special lip-like part of the flower, called the labellum, is about 1.2 millimeters long and wide. It points downwards. You can usually see these orchids flowering between October and February.
How the Native Fan Orchid Got Its Name
The native fan orchid was first officially described in 1834. A scientist named Achille Richard gave it the name Oberonia micrantha. He wrote about it in a book called Voyage de la corvette l'Astrolabe. Later, in 1859, another scientist named John Lindley changed its name to Phreatia micrantha.
Meaning of the Name
The second part of its scientific name, micrantha, has a special meaning. It comes from two Ancient Greek words. The word mikros means "small" or "little". The word anthos means "flower". So, micrantha basically means "small-flowered," which perfectly describes its tiny blooms!
Where Does the Native Fan Orchid Live?
The native fan orchid usually grows on trees in rainforests. Sometimes, you can find it growing on rocks too. It especially likes to grow on mossy branches that hang over streams. This orchid is found in many places across the Pacific.
Places You Can Find It
You can find Phreatia micrantha in the Bismarck Archipelago, New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. It also grows in Queensland, Fiji, Niue, New Caledonia, Samoa, Santa Cruz Island, Tonga, Vanuatu, the Wallis and Futuna Islands, and the Mariana Islands. In Queensland, Australia, it grows between the Iron Range and the Tully River on the Cape York Peninsula.
