Prasophyllum odoratum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fragrant leek orchid |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Prasophyllum odoratum growing near Guyra | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Synonyms | |
|
The Prasophyllum odoratum, often called the fragrant leek orchid, Rogers scented leek orchid or sweet leek orchid, is a special type of orchid. It grows only in south-eastern Australia. This orchid has a single leaf shaped like a tube. It also has up to fifty sweet-smelling flowers that are green and white with reddish spots.
What Does the Fragrant Leek Orchid Look Like?
The fragrant leek orchid is a plant that grows from an underground tuber (like a small potato). It is a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It is also deciduous, so its leaves fall off at certain times.
It has one tube-shaped leaf that can grow up to 700 mm (about 27 inches) long. This leaf is usually 2 to 8 mm (about 0.08 to 0.3 inches) wide and has a purplish base.
Between ten and fifty flowers grow on a stem called a flowering spike. This spike can be 60 to 200 mm (about 2.4 to 7.9 inches) long. The flowers are green and white with reddish marks, and they have a lovely scent.
Like other orchids in its group, these flowers are upside down! This means the labellum (a special lip-like petal) is above the column (the part that holds the pollen) instead of below it.
- The dorsal sepal (the top part of the flower) is shaped like an egg or a spear. It is 10 to 12 mm (about 0.4 to 0.5 inches) long and points downwards.
- The lateral sepals (the side parts) are thin and spear-shaped. They are also 10 to 12 mm long and are separate from each other.
- The petals are thin and spear-shaped, 6 to 9 mm (about 0.2 to 0.4 inches) long. They are white or have a reddish stripe and have wavy edges.
- The labellum is white and egg-shaped, 6 to 12 mm long and 4 mm (about 0.16 inches) wide. It turns sharply upwards and has very wavy or ruffled edges.
These orchids usually bloom from October to January.
How It Got Its Name
The fragrant leek orchid was first officially described in 1909. A scientist named Richard Sanders Rogers wrote about it in a publication called Transactions, proceedings and report, Royal Society of South Australia.
The second part of its scientific name, odoratum, comes from a Latin word. It means "having a smell" or "fragrant," which perfectly describes its sweet-smelling flowers!
Where Does It Grow?
The fragrant leek orchid can be found in many different places across New South Wales, reaching as far inland as Griffith. It is also very common in Victoria.
