Elegant snail orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Elegant snail orchid |
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| Pterostylis scitula in Candys Bush Reserve, Moora | |
| Scientific classification | |
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Pterostylis
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| Species: |
scitula
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The elegant snail orchid (its scientific name is Pterostylis scitula) is a special type of orchid. It only grows naturally in the south-west part of Western Australia. This means it is endemic to that area.
When the plant is not flowering, it has a small group of leaves that lie flat on the ground. This circle of leaves is called a rosette. When it does flower, it grows a single, small green and white flower on a stem, which also has some leaves.
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What is the Elegant Snail Orchid Like?
The elegant snail orchid is a plant that grows in the ground. It is a perennial plant, meaning it lives for many years. It is also a deciduous herb, which means it loses its leaves at certain times of the year and does not have a woody stem.
This orchid grows from an underground tuber, which is like a small, swollen root that stores food. When the plant is not flowering, its rosette of leaves is about 2 to 6 centimetres (0.8 to 2.4 inches) wide.
When the orchid flowers, it produces a single green and white flower. This flower is about 1.2 to 1.7 centimetres (0.5 to 0.7 inches) long and 0.5 to 0.8 centimetres (0.2 to 0.3 inches) wide. The flowering stem can grow quite tall, reaching about 7.5 to 20 centimetres (3 to 8 inches) high. This stem also has two to four leaves, each about 1 to 2.2 centimetres (0.4 to 0.9 inches) long.
The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, and the petals are joined together. They form a hood, or "galea," over the central part of the flower, which is called the column. The side sepals are held close to this hood. They are joined at their bases and almost close the front of the flower. Their tips stand upright and are about 1.6 to 2.2 centimetres (0.6 to 0.9 inches) long. The labellum, which is a special lip-like part of the orchid, is small and narrow. You usually cannot see it from outside the flower. These orchids bloom from August to September.
How Did the Elegant Snail Orchid Get Its Name?
The scientific name for the elegant snail orchid, Pterostylis scitula, was first officially described in 2015. This was done by two botanists, David Jones and Christopher J. French. They found a specimen of the orchid near Moora.
The description was published in a magazine called Australian Orchid Review. The second part of its scientific name, scitula, comes from a Latin word. It means "beautiful," "elegant," "handsome," or "pretty." This name was chosen because of the orchid's neat and elegant flowers.
Where Does the Elegant Snail Orchid Grow?
The elegant snail orchid prefers to grow in moist soil. It is often found in thick scrub areas. You can find it in the region between Moora and Mogumber. This area includes different natural zones in Western Australia, such as the Avon Wheatbelt, Jarrah Forest, and Swan Coastal Plain.
Is the Elegant Snail Orchid Protected?
The elegant snail orchid is currently listed as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. This means that, for now, there are enough of these plants in the wild, and they are not considered to be in danger of disappearing.
