Desert greenhood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Desert rustyhood |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pterostylis
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| Species: |
xerophila
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| Synonyms | |
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Oligochaetochilus xerophilus (M.A.Clem.) Szlach. |
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The desert rustyhood (scientific name: Pterostylis xerophila) is a special type of orchid plant. It grows only in South Australia. Both young plants and those with flowers have a group of leaves that form a circle, like a rosette. When it flowers, it can have up to eight beautiful, see-through white, green, and reddish-brown flowers. These flowers have a part called a labellum that looks a bit like an insect!
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
The desert rustyhood is a plant that grows from an underground tuber (like a small potato). It's a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It's also deciduous, so its leaves fall off at certain times.
Leaves and Stems
This plant usually has a rosette (a circular cluster) of three to ten leaves. Each leaf is about 10 to 30 millimeters (0.4 to 1.2 inches) long and 5 to 8 millimeters (0.2 to 0.3 inches) wide. When the plant is ready to flower, it grows a tall stem. The leaves at the base of this stem often dry up by the time the flowers open.
Flowers
The desert rustyhood can have up to eight flowers on its stem, which grows to be about 60 to 200 millimeters (2.4 to 7.9 inches) tall. The flowers are white, green, and reddish-brown. They are about 25 to 30 millimeters (1 to 1.2 inches) long and 9 to 11 millimeters (0.35 to 0.43 inches) wide.
Flower Parts
- The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, and the petals form a hood. This hood is called a "galea." The dorsal sepal has a narrow, upward-pointing tip that is about 6 to 8 millimeters (0.2 to 0.3 inches) long.
- The lateral sepals (side parts) point downwards. They are wider than the hood and have a bowl-like shape. They quickly narrow into long tips, about 20 to 25 millimeters (0.8 to 1 inch) long.
- The labellum is a special lip-like part of the flower. It looks a bit like an insect! It's about 4 millimeters (0.16 inches) long and 2 to 3 millimeters (0.08 to 0.12 inches) wide. It has a thin "body" and a thicker "head" end.
- On each side of the labellum, there are four to six stiff hairs called bristles. These bristles point forward and can be up to 3 millimeters (0.12 inches) long.
The desert rustyhood flowers from September to November.
How It Was Named
The desert rustyhood was first officially described in 1986 by a scientist named Mark Alwin Clements. He studied a plant that grew in Adelaide from material found in the Great Victoria Desert.
Meaning of the Name
The scientific name xerophila comes from two Ancient Greek words:
- xeros (ξερός) means "dry."
- phílos (φίλος) means "dear one" or "friend."
So, xerophila means "friend of dry places," which makes sense because this orchid loves dry, desert areas!
Where It Lives
The desert rustyhood typically grows in rocky areas made of granite or quartzite. These places are usually found in or near the Great Victoria Desert. It prefers areas that get very little rain, less than 200 millimeters (7.9 inches) on average each year.
Protecting This Plant
The desert rustyhood is considered "vulnerable." This means it's at risk of disappearing if we don't protect it. Both the Australian Government and the South Australian Government have laws to help protect it.
Threats to the Desert Rustyhood
Scientists are still learning about all the dangers to this special orchid. Some known threats include:
- Grazing: Wild rabbits and goats eating the plants.
- Weed Invasion: Other plants (weeds) growing and taking over its habitat.
- Accidental Destruction: Plants being harmed by vehicles driving through their habitat.
- Inappropriate Fire: Wildfires that happen too often or at the wrong time can damage the plants.
