Little bull orchid facts for kids
The little bull orchid (scientific name: Pterostylis taurus) is a special type of orchid. It grows only in Queensland, Australia. This orchid has a group of leaves that look like a circle at its base. It produces a single flower that is dark red, reddish-brown, and white, and it usually hangs downwards.
Quick facts for kids Little bull orchid |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pterostylis
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| Species: |
taurus
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| Synonyms | |
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What it Looks Like
The little bull orchid is a plant that grows from an underground tuber (like a small potato). It is a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It is also deciduous, which means its leaves fall off during certain seasons.
This orchid has a group of green to bluish leaves at its base, arranged in a circle called a rosette. Each leaf is about 10 to 25 millimeters (0.4 to 1 inch) long and 5 to 15 millimeters (0.2 to 0.6 inches) wide.
When the plant flowers, it grows a single dark red or reddish-brown and white flower. This flower grows on a stem that is about 50 to 150 millimeters (2 to 6 inches) tall. The flowers are about 25 to 30 millimeters (1.0 to 1.2 inches) long and 10 to 13 millimeters (0.4 to 0.5 inches) wide. They usually lean downwards.
The top part of the flower, called the "galea," looks like a hood. It is formed by the dorsal sepal (a leaf-like part) and the petals joining together. The dorsal sepal is longer and has a pointed tip about 3 to 5 millimeters (0.1 to 0.2 inches) long.
The two side sepals have a narrow U-shape between them. They have very thin, upright, thread-like tips that are about 15 to 20 millimeters (0.6 to 0.8 inches) long. The labellum (which is the orchid's special lip-like petal) sticks out above this U-shape. It is about 7 to 9 millimeters (0.3 to 0.4 inches) long and 2 millimeters (0.08 inches) wide. It is bright reddish-brown and curved, with a deep notch at its end.
The little bull orchid usually flowers between May and July.
How it was Named
The little bull orchid, Pterostylis taurus, was first officially described in 1989. It was named by two botanists, David Jones and Mark Clements. They published their description in a scientific paper called Australian Orchid Research.
The second part of its scientific name, taurus, comes from a Latin word. "Taurus" means "bull," which might refer to the shape of the flower or some part of it.
Where it Lives
The little bull orchid grows in coastal areas of Queensland. You can find it in scrubland and forests between a place called Paluma and the Mount Windsor National Park. This national park is located west of Daintree.
