Tapered leek orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tapered leek orchid |
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The tapered leek orchid (Prasophyllum apoxychilum) is a special type of orchid that grows only in Tasmania, Australia. It has a single green leaf shaped like a tube, with a purplish bottom. Its flowers are light green and whitish. This orchid looks very similar to another one called Prasophyllum truncatum, and scientists are still figuring out if they are truly different species. You often find this orchid growing in places that have been disturbed, like after a fire. It is an endangered plant, meaning it needs protection.
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What the Tapered Leek Orchid Looks Like
The tapered leek orchid is a plant that grows in the ground. It lives for many years and has a special underground storage part called a tuber. It grows one tube-shaped leaf that is about 150 to 250 millimeters (6 to 10 inches) long. The top part of the leaf is free and can be 20 to 120 millimeters (0.8 to 4.7 inches) long.
This orchid grows between eight and twenty flowers on a tall stem. The stem is about 60 to 100 millimeters (2.4 to 3.9 inches) long, and the whole plant can reach a height of 200 to 350 millimeters (7.9 to 13.8 inches). The flowers smell nice and are light green, about 8 to 11 millimeters (0.3 to 0.4 inches) wide. They have whitish petals and a white labellum.
Like other orchids in its group, the flowers are upside down. This means the labellum (which is like a lip) is above the column (the central part of the flower) instead of below it. The top sepal (part of the flower that protects the petals) is narrow and turns downwards. It has a few dark stripes. The side sepals are slightly curved and spread apart. The petals are similar in size to the side sepals and have a dark line in the middle. The labellum is about 8 to 10 millimeters (0.3 to 0.4 inches) long and turns upwards. Its edge is wavy.
When and How it Flowers
The tapered leek orchid flowers from October to December. Its flowering is often triggered by changes in its environment. For example, it grows well and flowers after a fire or when the area is mowed. This shows how it can adapt to disturbances in its habitat.
How the Orchid Got its Name
The tapered leek orchid, Prasophyllum apoxychilum, was officially described in 1998. It was named by a botanist named David Jones. He found a sample of the plant near Murdunna in Tasmania.
The scientific name apoxychilum comes from two ancient Greek words. Apoxys means "tapering," and cheilos means "lip." This name refers to the orchid's pointed labellum, which looks like a tapering lip.
This orchid is very similar to Prasophyllum truncatum. Scientists are still studying them to see if they are truly different species. The features that were once thought to tell them apart can actually vary a lot within each type.
Where the Tapered Leek Orchid Lives
The tapered leek orchid grows in forests where there are grasses or thick shrubs underneath the trees. It has been found in areas around Hobart and to its south-east. It also grows along the northern and eastern coastal parts of Tasmania.
This orchid seems to do well when its habitat is disturbed. For example, one group of these orchids flowers regularly in an area that is mowed under electric power lines. This shows that some disturbance can actually help this plant grow.
Protecting the Tapered Leek Orchid
There are about twenty known groups of tapered leek orchids, with a total of about one thousand plants. These groups are sometimes far apart from each other.
Because there are not many of these orchids left, they are protected by law. In Tasmania, it is listed as Vulnerable under the Threatened Species Protection Act 1995. The Australian government also lists it as Endangered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) Act. This means it is at high risk of disappearing forever and needs special care to survive.
