Yellow leek orchid facts for kids
Prasophyllum flavum, also known as the yellow leek orchid, is a special type of orchid that grows only in eastern Australia. It has a single green leaf shaped like a tube, and it can have up to fifty yellowish-green flowers that smell nice.
Quick facts for kids Yellow leek orchid |
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| Prasophyllum flavum growing in the Wandella State Forest in Victoria | |
| Scientific classification |
Contents
What Does the Yellow Leek Orchid Look Like?
The yellow leek orchid is a plant that grows on land and comes back every year. It has an underground stem, like a potato, called a tuber. From this tuber, a single leaf grows, which is shaped like a tube and can be up to 60 millimeters (about 2.4 inches) long.
Flowers and Their Features
This orchid produces a tall flowering stem, which can reach up to 900 millimeters (about 3 feet) high. On this stem, you can find between eight and fifty fragrant flowers. Each flower is about 10 millimeters (0.4 inches) wide and is yellowish-green.
Like other orchids in its group, the flowers of the yellow leek orchid are upside down! This means the special lip-shaped petal, called the labellum, is at the top instead of the bottom. The labellum is egg-shaped, up to 8 millimeters long, and has wavy edges.
The top petal, called the dorsal sepal, is shaped like an egg or a spear and is deeply curved. The side sepals are also about 10 millimeters long and usually joined together. The other petals are egg-shaped and have a pointed tip.
When Does It Bloom?
You can see the yellow leek orchid flowering from October to January.
How Was This Orchid Named?
The yellow leek orchid was first officially described in 1810 by a botanist named Robert Brown. He published his description in a book called Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen.
Meaning of Its Scientific Name
The scientific name for this orchid is Prasophyllum flavum. The second part of the name, flavum, is a Latin word. It means "yellow" or "golden-yellow," which perfectly describes the color of its flowers!
Where Does the Yellow Leek Orchid Grow?
The yellow leek orchid likes to grow in wet, rich soil found in forests that get a lot of rain. You can find it along the coast and in the mountain ranges of New South Wales, in Victoria, in south-east Queensland, and in Tasmania.
