Forest leek orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Forest leek orchid |
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| Prasophyllum sylvestre growing near the Tuross River | |
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The Prasophyllum sylvestre, also known as the forest leek orchid, is a special type of orchid. It grows only in south-eastern Australia. This plant has a single bright green leaf shaped like a tube. It can grow up to thirty flowers that are pale green, pink, and reddish-brown. They have a light scent. This orchid looks a bit like other orchids called P. fuscum and P. affine. However, it is different, especially in where it likes to grow.
What Does It Look Like?
The forest leek orchid is a plant that lives for many years (it's a perennial). It grows from an underground tuber, which is like a small storage lump. The plant's leaves die back each year (it's deciduous), but the tuber stays alive. It has one bright green leaf that looks like a tube. This leaf can be about 160 to 400 mm (6 to 16 in) long and 3 to 4 mm (0.1 to 0.2 in) wide. The bottom part of the leaf is red.
Each plant grows a tall stem called a flowering spike. This spike is about 40 to 90 mm (1.6 to 3.5 in) long. It holds between five and thirty flowers, spaced out nicely. The flowers are pale green, pink, and reddish-brown. They are small, about 3 to 4 mm (0.1 to 0.2 in) wide, and have a light smell.
Like other orchids in its group, the flowers of the forest leek orchid are upside down. This means the labellum (a special lip petal) is above the column (the central part of the flower), instead of below it. The top dorsal sepal (a leaf-like part) is shaped like a line or an egg. It is about 7 to 10 mm (0.28 to 0.39 in) long. The side lateral sepals are also line-shaped. They are about 7 to 10 mm (0.28 to 0.39 in) long and joined together for about half their length. The other petals are thin and line-shaped. They are about 6 to 7 mm (0.24 to 0.28 in) long.
The labellum is usually pink or white. It is shaped like an oblong or an egg. It measures about 6 to 9 mm (0.24 to 0.35 in) long. This part of the flower sharply bends upwards and has slightly wavy edges. These orchids usually flower from late October to early December. Their flowering often starts after a bushfire or other small disturbance.
How It Got Its Name
The Prasophyllum sylvestre was first officially described in 1991. Two scientists, Robert Bates and David Jones, gave it its name. They found a sample of the plant near Batemans Bay. The name was then published in a science book called Australian Orchid Research.
The second part of its name, sylvestre, is a Latin word. It means "of forests." This name was chosen because this orchid mostly grows in forest areas.
Where It Lives
The forest leek orchid likes to grow in tall, open forests. You can also find it in damp areas close to wet forests. It lives in New South Wales, mainly south of Batemans Bay. It also grows in the far eastern part of Gippsland in Victoria.
