Pouched leek orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pouched leek orchid |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
| Tribe: | Diurideae |
| Subtribe: | Prasophyllinae |
| Genus: | Prasophyllum |
| Species: |
P. cyphochilum
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| Binomial name | |
| Prasophyllum cyphochilum |
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The pouched leek orchid (scientific name: Prasophyllum cyphochilum) is a special type of orchid. It grows only in the south-west part of Western Australia. This orchid is quite common. It has a single smooth, tube-shaped leaf. Its flowers are pale yellow and brown. They are also somewhat cup-shaped and have a unique "hump" on their lower lip.
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What Does the Pouched Leek Orchid Look Like?
The pouched leek orchid is a plant that grows from an underground tuber. It is a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It is also deciduous, so some parts might die back in certain seasons. It has one smooth, tube-shaped leaf. This leaf is usually about 60 to 250 mm (2.4 to 9.8 in) long. It is about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide.
The plant grows a flowering stem that can be 150 to 450 mm (5.9 to 17.7 in) tall. On this stem, there are usually between fifteen and thirty or more flowers. Each flower is pale yellow and brown. They are about 8 mm (0.3 in) long and 7 mm (0.28 in) wide.
Like other orchids in its group, these flowers are upside down. This means their special lower lip, called the labellum, is above the central part, called the column. The top sepal, side sepals, and petals are small. They face forward, making the flower look like a cup that doesn't fully open. The labellum is also small. It curves upwards towards the side sepals. It has a base that looks like a hump or a pouch. These orchids bloom from September to October.
Why is it Called the Pouched Leek Orchid?
The pouched leek orchid was first officially described in 1873. A scientist named George Bentham gave it its formal description. This was published in a book called Flora Australiensis.
The scientific name cyphochilum comes from two Ancient Greek words. "Kyphos" means "bent" or "humped." "Cheilos" means "lip." So, "cyphochilum" refers to the humped or pouched base of the orchid's labellum, which looks like a lip.
Where Does the Pouched Leek Orchid Live?
The pouched leek orchid likes to grow among shrubs. It prefers places that get wet during the winter months. You can find this orchid in a wide area of Western Australia. It grows from Kalbarri in the north all the way to Israelite Bay in the east.
Is the Pouched Leek Orchid Safe?
The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has looked at the pouched leek orchid. They have classified it as "not threatened." This means that currently, there are plenty of these orchids, and they are not in danger of disappearing.
