Bearded bird orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bearded bird orchid |
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| Pterostylis turfosa growing near Mount Chudalup | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pterostylis
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| Species: |
turfosa
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| Synonyms | |
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Plumatichilos turfosus (Endl.) Szlach. |
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The Bearded bird orchid (scientific name: Pterostylis turfosa) is a special kind of orchid. It grows only in the south-west part of Western Australia. This means it is endemic to that area. It's called a "bearded bird orchid" because its flower has a unique feathery part that looks a bit like a beard! When it blooms, it usually has one green flower with darker green lines. This orchid is one of several "bearded orchids," and they all have this cool, feather-like part called a labellum.
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What Does the Bearded Bird Orchid Look Like?
The Pterostylis turfosa is a plant that grows from an underground tuber. Think of a tuber like a small potato that stores food for the plant. It's a perennial plant, which means it lives for more than two years. It's also deciduous, so its leaves fall off during certain seasons.
- Leaves: This orchid has between ten and eighteen dark green leaves. These leaves are usually found around the bottom of the stem and reach upwards. They are about 10 to 25 millimeters (about 0.4 to 1 inch) long. They are also about 3 to 7 millimeters (about 0.1 to 0.3 inches) wide.
- Flowers: When the plant flowers, it has a single green flower. This flower looks a bit see-through, with darker green lines running through it. The flower itself is quite long, about 45 to 55 millimeters (about 1.8 to 2.2 inches) long. It is about 6 to 7 millimeters (about 0.2 to 0.3 inches) wide. The flower grows on a stem that can be 100 to 250 millimeters (about 4 to 10 inches) tall.
Parts of the Flower
The orchid flower has some interesting parts:
- Hood (Galea): The top part of the flower is like a hood. It's made from the dorsal sepal (a leaf-like part) and the petals (the colorful parts of a flower) joined together. This hood covers a central part called the column. The tip of this hood is curved and about 25 to 35 millimeters (about 1 to 1.4 inches) long.
- Lower Sepals: The lateral sepals are below the hood. They point downwards and are joined near their bases. They form a thick pad with pointed tips. These tips are about 40 to 50 millimeters (about 1.6 to 2 inches) long and grow parallel to each other.
- Labellum (The "Beard"): This is the most unique part! The labellum is about 25 to 30 millimeters (about 1 to 1.2 inches) long and looks like a thin thread. It's covered with yellow hairs that are 3 to 7 millimeters (about 0.1 to 0.3 inches) long. These hairs make it look like a "beard." The very end of the labellum has a thin, light brown knob.
The flowers of the bearded bird orchid usually appear between September and October.
How the Bearded Bird Orchid Got Its Name
The scientific name for the bearded bird orchid, Pterostylis turfosa, was first given in 1846. It was described by a person named Stephan Endlicher. His description was published in a book called Plantae Preissianae, written by Johann Georg Christian Lehmann.
The second part of its scientific name, turfosa, is a Latin word. It means "peaty," which refers to a type of soil often found in wet, boggy areas.
Where Does the Bearded Bird Orchid Live?
The bearded bird orchid can grow in many different places. You might find it in shallow soil pockets on rocky areas made of granite. It also grows in forests. However, it is most commonly found close to the coast. This orchid lives in the area between the towns of Bunbury and East Mount Barren in Western Australia.
