Prasophyllum catenemum facts for kids

Prasophyllum catenemum is a special type of orchid that only grows in South Australia. It has a single, tube-shaped leaf and can have up to twenty flowers. These flowers are usually white and green, sometimes with a purplish color. This orchid is quite rare and is only found in a small area along the coast. It grows in shrubland areas that are often surrounded by moving sand dunes.

What is Prasophyllum catenemum?

Prasophyllum catenemum is a plant that grows from an underground tuber, which is like a small storage organ. It's a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It's also deciduous, so it loses its leaves at certain times.

Plant Features

This orchid has one shiny, pale green leaf that looks like a tube. It can be about 15 to 30 centimeters (6 to 12 inches) long and 2 to 4 millimeters (0.08 to 0.16 inches) wide. The bottom part of the leaf is often reddish-purple.

Flower Details

Each plant can have between six and twenty flowers. These flowers grow closely together on a stem that is about 5 to 8 centimeters (2 to 3 inches) long. The flowers smell like lemons and are usually white and green, sometimes with a purplish tint. They are about 8 to 10 millimeters (0.3 to 0.4 inches) wide.

Like other orchids in its group, the flowers of Prasophyllum catenemum are upside down! This means the labellum (a special petal) is above the column (the central part of the flower) instead of below it.

• The top sepal (a leaf-like part of the flower) is shaped like a spear or an egg. It's about 6.5 to 10 millimeters (0.26 to 0.39 inches) long and 3 to 5 millimeters (0.12 to 0.20 inches) wide, with dark lines.
• The side sepals are about 8 to 10 millimeters (0.3 to 0.4 inches) long and 1.5 to 2 millimeters (0.06 to 0.08 inches) wide. They can be separate or partly joined together.
• The petals are thin and green to purplish. They are about 7 to 8 millimeters (0.28 to 0.31 inches) long and 1 to 1.5 millimeters (0.04 to 0.06 inches) wide.
• The labellum is white and broadly shaped like a spear or an egg. It's about 7.5 to 9.5 millimeters (0.30 to 0.37 inches) long and 4.5 to 7 millimeters (0.18 to 0.28 inches) wide. It bends sharply upwards at a 90-degree angle in the middle. The part that turns up is crinkled. There's also a yellowish-green, raised area called a callus in the center of the labellum.

This orchid usually flowers in September and October.

Where Does Prasophyllum catenemum Live?

This special leek orchid is found only in coastal areas of South Australia. You can find it between the towns of Streaky Bay and Smoky Bay. It grows in shrubland areas. These areas are often affected by sand dunes that are always moving and changing due to the wind.

How Was This Orchid Named?

The scientific name Prasophyllum catenemum was first officially described in 2006. It was named by a botanist named David Jones. He found a sample of this orchid near Streaky Bay.

The second part of its name, catenemum, comes from an Ancient Greek word. This word, catenemos, means "wind-blown." This name was chosen because the orchid lives in places where it's often windy, especially near those moving sand dunes!