Graveside leek orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Graveside leek orchid |
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The Prasophyllum taphanyx, also known as the graveside leek orchid, is a special type of orchid. It grows only in a small part of Tasmania, Australia. This orchid has a single green leaf that looks like a tube. It also has up to twenty-five small flowers that are light green, pinkish-cream, and purplish. This orchid doesn't flower very often. The most flowers ever seen on it in one year was just three, back in 2001.
What it Looks Like
The graveside leek orchid is a plant that grows from an underground tuber (like a small potato). It's a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It's also deciduous, so its leaves fall off at certain times. It has one tube-shaped leaf that is about 200–300 mm (8–10 in) long and 3–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide.
Its flowers grow on a stem called a flowering spike. There are usually fifteen to twenty-five flowers crowded together on this spike. The spike is about 50–65 mm (2–3 in) long and the whole plant can reach a height of 230–330 mm (9–10 in). Each flower is small, about 7–8 mm (0.28–0.31 in) long and 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) wide.
Like other leek orchids, its flowers are "inverted." This means the labellum (a special lip-like part of the flower) is above the column (the part that holds the reproductive organs), instead of below it. The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, is about 4 mm (0.2 in) long. The side sepals are about 4 mm (0.2 in) long and are separate from each other.
The petals are small, about 3 mm (0.12 in) long, and spread out wide. The labellum is pinkish to purplish and about 3 mm (0.1 in) long and wide. It bends sharply upwards in the middle. There's a shiny green bump, called a callus, in the center of the labellum. This callus almost reaches the tip of the labellum. These orchids usually flower in October and November.
Naming the Orchid
The graveside leek orchid was first officially described in 2004 by a botanist named David Jones. He found the first plant in a cemetery in Campbell Town. The description was published in a magazine called The Orchadian.
The second part of its scientific name, taphanyx, comes from two Ancient Greek words. Taphos means "grave" or "tomb," and antyx means "edge" or "rim." This name was chosen because the orchid was found near a grave and because it's in a "perilous predicament." This means it's in a very dangerous situation, close to disappearing.
Where it Lives
The graveside leek orchid is extremely rare. It has only been found in three places, where small patches of native grassland still exist. These are the only known spots where this special orchid grows.
Protecting the Orchid
This orchid is in serious trouble. It's listed as "Endangered" under Tasmania's Threatened Species Protection Act 1995. It's also considered Critically Endangered by the Australian government's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) Act. "Critically Endangered" means it's at an extremely high risk of becoming extinct in the wild.
The biggest problems for this orchid are:
- Very small population: There are only a few plants left.
- Habitat loss: Land is being cleared for other uses, and natural pastures are being changed.
- Weed control: Wrong ways of getting rid of weeds can harm the orchids.
- Grazing, mowing, or fire: If animals graze, or if the area is mowed or burned during the flowering season, the orchids can be destroyed.
Because of these threats, it's very important to protect the graveside leek orchid so it doesn't disappear forever.
