Dark leek orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dark leek orchid |
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| Prasophyllum triangulare growing near Kukerin | |
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Prasophyllum triangulare, commonly known as the dark leek orchid, is a unique type of orchid. It grows only in the south-west part of Western Australia. This orchid is quite tall and has a single, purplish to blackish leaf shaped like a tube. It can have many flowers, sometimes thirty or more, which are usually greyish-purple or brownish-purple. A very interesting thing about this orchid is that it only blooms after a bushfire has happened the summer before.
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What Does the Dark Leek Orchid Look Like?
The dark leek orchid is a plant that grows from an underground tuber (like a potato). It has one thick, purplish to blackish leaf that looks like a tube. This leaf is about 25 to 35 centimetres (10 to 14 inches) long and 2 to 5 millimetres (0.08 to 0.2 inches) wide.
The plant produces a flowering stem that is about 9 to 18 centimetres (3.5 to 7 inches) long. The whole plant can reach a height of 30 to 40 centimetres (12 to 16 inches). On this stem, there are usually ten to thirty or more flowers.
The flowers are greyish-purple to brownish-purple. Each flower is about 12 millimetres (0.5 inches) long and 9 millimetres (0.4 inches) wide. Like other orchids in its group, the flowers are upside down. This means the labellum (a special lip-like petal) is above the column (the central part of the flower) instead of below it.
The top sepal (part of the flower that protects the petals) is about 6 to 7 millimetres (0.24 to 0.28 inches) long. The side sepals are similar in size and are joined together. The petals are 5 to 6 millimetres (0.20 to 0.24 inches) long and 2 millimetres (0.08 inches) wide. They point forwards.
The labellum is 8 to 9 millimetres (0.31 to 0.35 inches) long and about 5 millimetres (0.2 inches) wide. It sharply bends upwards in the middle, and its edges are slightly wavy. A wide, thick area called a callus covers most of the labellum.
This orchid flowers in September and October. Remember, it only blooms after a summer fire.
How Did It Get Its Name?
The dark leek orchid was first officially described in 1882 by a person named Robert D. FitzGerald. His description was published in a magazine called The Gardeners' Chronicle.
The scientific name triangulare comes from a Latin word, triangulus, which means "triangular." This name was chosen because the labellum (the special lip-like petal) of the flower has a narrow, triangular shape.
Where Does the Dark Leek Orchid Live?
The dark leek orchid grows in areas with shrubs, trees, and forests. You can find it between the towns of Augusta and Albany in Western Australia. These areas include different natural regions like the Avon Wheatbelt, Esperance Plains, Jarrah Forest, and Warren.
Is It Endangered?
The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife says that Prasophyllum triangulare is "Not Threatened." This means it is not currently at risk of disappearing.
