Red lanterns facts for kids

The Red Lanterns Orchid, also known as Corybas dowlingii, is a very special and rare flower. It's a type of orchid that grows only in New South Wales, Australia. These orchids often grow together in groups, forming colonies. Each plant has a round or heart-shaped leaf. Its flower is a beautiful dark purplish-red with white spots on a part called the labellum.

What Red Lanterns Look Like

The Red Lanterns Orchid is a plant that grows in the ground. It is a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It's also deciduous, so its leaves fall off at certain times. This plant is a herb, which means it has soft stems, not woody ones like trees.

Each orchid has one round or heart-shaped leaf. This leaf is about 15–35 mm (0.6–1 in) long and wide. The top of the leaf is dark green, and the bottom side is a bit reddish.

A single flower grows on a short stalk, only about 1–2 mm (0.04–0.08 in) long. The flower itself is dark purplish-red. It measures about 26–32 mm (1.0–1.3 in) long and 6–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) wide.

The top part of the flower is called the dorsal sepal. It's curved and about 15–23 mm (0.6–0.9 in) long. The side parts, called lateral sepals, are very thin. They are about 2 mm (0.08 in) long and stick out or point upwards. The petals are tiny, about 0.5 mm (0.02 in) long, and are hidden behind the labellum.

The labellum is a special lip-like part of the orchid flower. For the Red Lanterns Orchid, it's a see-through white with red spots. It's shaped like a tube near its base, about 4 mm (0.2 in) long. Then it opens up into a flat area. This flat part is about 10–12 mm (0.4–0.5 in) long and 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) wide.

At the bottom of the labellum, there are two whitish spurs. These are small, pointy parts, about 3 mm (0.1 in) long, that point downwards. Red Lanterns Orchids usually bloom from June to August.

How Red Lanterns Got Their Name

The Red Lanterns Orchid, Corybas dowlingii, was officially named in 2004. A botanist named David Jones described it. He used a plant sample collected by Bill Dowling. The description was published in a magazine called The Orchadian.

The second part of its scientific name, dowlingii, is a way to honor Bill Dowling. He was the person who found the first plant sample used to describe this new species. This first sample is called the type specimen.

Where Red Lanterns Live

Red Lanterns Orchids grow in special places called gullies. These are small valleys or ravines, usually found in tall forests. This orchid is very rare. It is only found in four specific areas in New South Wales. These areas are between Bulahdelah, Port Stephens, and Freemans Waterhole.

Protecting Red Lanterns

This beautiful orchid is considered "endangered" in New South Wales. This means it is at a high risk of disappearing forever. The New South Wales Threatened Species Conservation Act lists it as endangered.

Several things threaten the Red Lanterns Orchid:

• Land clearing: When forests are cut down for buildings or farms, the orchid loses its home.
• Habitat degradation: This means the places where they live are getting damaged.
• Rubbish dumping: Trash left in their habitat can harm the plants and soil.
• Recreational overuse: Too many people walking or playing in their habitat can damage the delicate plants.

Protecting these special areas helps ensure the Red Lanterns Orchid can continue to grow and thrive.