Kiandra leek orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kiandra leek orchid |
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The Kiandra leek orchid (scientific name: Prasophyllum candidum) is a special type of orchid. It grows only in eastern Australia. This orchid has a single, tube-shaped leaf that is yellowish-green. Its flowers are bright white to greenish and smell nice. You can find it in cool, high places called subalpine areas. These areas are usually above 1,000 meters (about 3,300 feet) high. It grows in New South Wales and Victoria. In Victoria, some people think it's a type of P. odoratum.
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What Does the Kiandra Leek Orchid Look Like?
The Kiandra leek orchid is a plant that lives for many years (it's a perennial). It grows from an underground tuber (like a small potato). Every year, its leaves die back, but the plant regrows (it's deciduous). It has one tube-shaped leaf, which is yellowish-green. This leaf can be 20 to 40 centimeters (8 to 16 inches) long and 0.8 to 2.2 centimeters (0.3 to 0.9 inches) wide.
This orchid grows a tall stem with many flowers. Up to forty fragrant flowers grow close together on a spike. This spike is 6 to 10 centimeters (2 to 4 inches) long. Like other leek orchids, its flowers are upside down. This means the labellum (a special lip-like petal) is above the column (the part that holds the pollen).
Flower Parts
- The dorsal sepal (the top part of the flower) is shaped like a line or an egg. It is 8 to 12 millimeters (0.3 to 0.5 inches) long and about 4 millimeters (0.2 inches) wide. It curves inwards.
- The lateral sepals (the two side parts) are shaped like lines or spear tips. They are 8 to 12 millimeters (0.3 to 0.5 inches) long and about 2.5 millimeters (0.1 inches) wide. They spread far apart.
- The petals are shaped like lines or spear tips. They are 8 to 10.5 millimeters (0.3 to 0.4 inches) long and about 3 millimeters (0.1 inches) wide. They have a dark stripe in the middle.
- The labellum (the lip) is oblong or egg-shaped. It is 9 to 12 millimeters (0.4 to 0.5 inches) long and 6 to 7 millimeters (0.2 to 0.3 inches) wide. It turns upwards and goes above the lateral sepals. The edges of the labellum are very ruffled. There is a yellowish-green, grooved part called a callus in its center.
The Kiandra leek orchid flowers from December to early February.
How the Kiandra Leek Orchid Got Its Name
Prasophyllum candidum was first officially described in 1991. Two botanists, Robert Bates and David Jones, described it. They found a sample of the plant between Tumut and Adaminaby. Their description was published in a book called Australian Orchid Research.
The second part of its scientific name, candidum, comes from a Latin word. It means "shining white" or "bright." This name was chosen because of the bright color of its flowers.
Where Does the Kiandra Leek Orchid Grow?
This leek orchid grows in sub-alpine grasslands. These are high-altitude grassy areas, usually above 1,000 meters (about 3,300 feet). You can find it in the southwestern parts of New South Wales and Victoria. The Victorian Herbarium (a place where plant samples are kept and studied) believes this species is actually a type of P. odoratum.
