Shiny bull orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shiny bull orchid |
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| Pterostylis collina growing near Clarence Town | |
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| Genus: |
Pterostylis
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| Species: |
collina
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The shiny bull orchid (Pterostylis collina) is a special type of orchid that only grows in New South Wales, Australia. It gets its name from its shiny leaves and the shape of its flower. This orchid has a group of leaves that grow in a circle, called a rosette. When it blooms, it produces a single flower that is reddish-brown, green, and white, with a cool curved top.
What the Shiny Bull Orchid Looks Like
The shiny bull orchid is a plant that lives for many years. It grows from an underground tuber, which is like a small storage root. Every year, it loses its leaves and then grows new ones. It is a herb, meaning it has soft stems, not woody ones.
This orchid has a rosette of three to six leaves. Each leaf is shaped like an egg. They are about 15 to 40 millimeters (0.6 to 1.6 inches) long. The leaves are also about 5 to 15 millimeters (0.2 to 0.6 inches) wide.
When the plant flowers, a single flower grows on a stem. This stem can be 100 to 200 millimeters (4 to 8 inches) tall. The flower itself is reddish-brown, green, and white. It is about 22 to 26 millimeters (0.9 to 1 inch) long. It is also about 9 to 12 millimeters (0.4 to 0.5 inches) wide.
The top part of the flower is called the "galea." It is formed by the top sepal and the petals joining together. This galea curves forward like a hood. It covers the central part of the flower, which is called the column. The top sepal is longer than the petals.
The two side sepals are pressed against the galea. There is a wide, flat space between their bases. These side sepals have thin, thread-like tips. These tips stand up straight and spread apart. They are about 20 to 25 millimeters (0.8 to 1 inch) long.
The labellum is a special lip-like part of the flower. It is about 13 to 15 millimeters (0.5 to 0.6 inches) long. It is also about 3 millimeters (0.1 inches) wide. The labellum is curved and has a deep notch at its end. Shiny bull orchids usually flower between April and August.
How the Shiny Bull Orchid Got Its Name
The shiny bull orchid was first officially described in 1929. A scientist named Herman Rupp gave it the name Pterostylis ophioglossa var. collina. He wrote about it in a scientific paper. This paper was published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales. He found the first plant in the Paterson Valley, which is north of Newcastle.
Later, in 1989, two other scientists, David Jones and Mark Clements, changed its name. They decided it was a unique species, not just a variety. So, they gave it the name Pterostylis collina. The second part of its name, collina, is a Latin word. It means "of a hill" or "hilly."
Where the Shiny Bull Orchid Lives
The shiny bull orchid grows in wet forests. It also grows on the edges of rainforests. You can find it on the north coast of New South Wales. It grows in areas north of Newcastle.
