Rainforest feather orchid facts for kids

The rainforest feather orchid (its scientific name is Dendrobium deuteroeburneum) is a special type of orchid. It is an epiphytic or lithophytic plant, which means it grows on other plants or rocks. This orchid is only found in eastern Australia.

It has thick, stem-like parts called pseudobulbs that stick to trees or rocks. These pseudobulbs have one or two tough, dark green leaves. The orchid also grows beautiful flowers, usually pale greenish-cream with purple spots on their special lip-shaped petal.

What the Rainforest Feather Orchid Looks Like

The rainforest feather orchid is a plant that grows on other plants or rocks. It has cylindrical, dark reddish-green pseudobulbs. These pseudobulbs are like thick stems that press against whatever the orchid is growing on. They can be from 30 to 120 mm (about 1 to 5 inches) long.

Each pseudobulb has one or two tough, dark green leaves. These leaves are usually 30 to 60 mm (about 1 to 2.5 inches) long.

The orchid produces between two and seven greenish-cream flowers. These flowers are about 17 to 22 mm (about 0.7 to 0.9 inches) long and wide. They grow on a flowering stem that is 30 to 50 mm (about 1 to 2 inches) long.

Each flower has different parts:

• The top petal, called the dorsal sepal, is 15 to 20 mm (about 0.6 to 0.8 inches) long.
• The side petals, called lateral sepals, are 14 to 18 mm (about 0.6 to 0.7 inches) long.
• The other petals are 15 to 20 mm (about 0.6 to 0.8 inches) long.

The most interesting part is the labellum, which is like a special lip. It is white with purple markings. This labellum has three parts, called lobes. The side lobes stand up, and the middle lobe points downwards. It also has a yellow line down its middle.

This orchid usually blooms between August and October.

How the Rainforest Feather Orchid Got Its Name

The rainforest feather orchid was first officially described in 2006. Two botanists, David Jones and Mark Clements, described it. They studied a plant that grew in the Australian National Botanic Gardens. This plant originally came from the Bugong National Park.

They first named it Tropilis eburnea. The word eburnea comes from Latin and means "of ivory." This name was chosen because the flowers are the color of ivory.

Later, in 2014, another botanist named Julian Shaw changed its name to Dendrobium deuteroeburneum. The word Deuteros comes from Ancient Greek and means "second."

Where the Rainforest Feather Orchid Lives

The rainforest feather orchid usually grows on trees in rainforests. Sometimes, it can also be found growing on rocks in wet forests.

You can find this orchid in Australia, from Fraser Island in Queensland all the way down to Bega in New South Wales.