Robust elbow orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Robust elbow orchid |
|
|---|---|
.jpg) |
|
| Arthrochilus latipes in Kakadu National Park | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Arthrochilus
|
| Species: |
latipes
|
The Arthrochilus latipes, also known as the robust elbow orchid, is a special type of flowering plant. It belongs to the orchid family and is found only in the "Top End" of the Northern Territory in Australia. This orchid usually has two to four leaves that lie flat on the ground. During the wet season, it grows between three and fifteen flowers. These orchids often grow in large groups on rocky areas called sandstone escarpments. Just like other orchids in its group, its flowers are pollinated by a type of wasp called a thynnid wasp.
Contents
What is the Robust Elbow Orchid?
The robust elbow orchid is a plant that grows from the ground. It lives for many years but loses its leaves each year. It has a special underground part called a tuber. This tuber can grow new "baby" tubers on root-like parts called stolons.
How Does it Look?
At the bottom of the plant, there are two to four dull green leaves. They are shaped like a spear and lie flat on the ground. Each leaf is about 25 to 70 millimeters (1 to 3 inches) long and 8 to 26 millimeters (0.3 to 1 inch) wide.
The flowers grow on a stem that stands 10 to 30 centimeters (4 to 12 inches) tall. There are usually three to fifteen flowers on each stem. Each flower is about 15 to 25 millimeters (0.6 to 1 inch) long. They are green and have brownish spots on a special part called the labellum.
The top petal, called the dorsal sepal, curves downwards. It is about 14 millimeters (0.6 inches) long. The side petals and sepals bend backwards towards the plant's base. The labellum is a key part of the flower. It is about 7.5 millimeters (0.3 inches) long and wider at its base. It is green with a dark purple spot. This part of the flower looks like a female thynnid wasp that cannot fly. It is covered with small, shiny, club-shaped bumps. The very tip of this part is round and covered with shiny black spots.
The column is another part of the flower, shaped like a half-circle. It is about 10 millimeters (0.4 inches) long and has tiny hairs inside. The orchid blooms from October to January. After flowering, it forms an oval-shaped seed pod, which is about 10 millimeters (0.4 inches) long.
Where Does it Grow?
The robust elbow orchid is found in the "Top End" of the Northern Territory in Australia. You can see it growing on rocky areas and sandstone cliffs. It is especially common in Kakadu National Park and Litchfield National Park.
How Does it Reproduce?
Like other Arthrochilus orchids, the robust elbow orchid is pollinated by male thynnid wasps. These wasps are from a group called Arthrothynnus. The orchid's labellum looks like a female wasp, which tricks the male wasp into trying to mate with it. As the wasp tries to mate, it picks up pollen and carries it to another flower. This helps the orchid make seeds. The orchid can also make new plants by growing new tubers underground. This means it can spread and form new groups of plants without needing seeds.
Its Name and Discovery
This orchid was officially named Arthrochilus latipes in 1991. It was named by a botanist (plant scientist) named David Jones. He described it from a plant found in Radon Gorge in Kakadu National Park. The second part of its name, latipes, comes from two Latin words. Latus means "broad" and pes means "foot." This name refers to the wide base of the labellum on this orchid.
