Shining leek orchid facts for kids

The shining leek orchid, officially known as Prasophyllum nitidum, is a special type of orchid. It is found only in southern Australia. This unique plant has a single leaf shaped like a tube. It also grows beautiful maroon, magenta, or purple and green flowers. Each flower has a pale purple to maroon part called a labellum.

Scientists only recently identified this orchid as its own species. Before, they thought it was the same as P. fitzgeraldii. However, the shining leek orchid has a shorter flower spike. Its flowers are also glossy, and its labellum has a shiny, raised part called a callus. You can find this orchid in the south-east of South Australia. It also grows in one spot in western Victoria.

What Does the Shining Leek Orchid Look Like?

The shining leek orchid is a plant that grows from the ground. It is a perennial herb, meaning it lives for more than two years. It has an underground tuber, which is like a storage root. A single, shiny, green leaf grows from this tuber. This leaf is shaped like a tube and can be 100 to 250 millimeters (4 to 10 inches) long. It is about 3 to 4 millimeters (0.1 to 0.2 inches) wide near its base, which often has a maroon color.

The Flowers of the Shining Leek Orchid

The orchid produces a flower spike that is 30 to 70 millimeters (1 to 3 inches) long. This spike can reach a total height of up to 400 millimeters (16 inches). Along the spike, you will find five to twenty scented flowers. These flowers are maroon, magenta, or purple and green. Each flower is about 5 to 7 millimeters (0.2 to 0.3 inches) long and 3 to 4 millimeters (0.1 to 0.2 inches) wide.

Like other orchids in its group, the flowers of the shining leek orchid are upside down. This means the labellum is above the column, not below it. The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, is shaped like a spear or an egg. It is 5 to 7 millimeters long and 2 to 3 millimeters wide. The side sepals are greenish-brown or maroon. They are 5 to 8 millimeters long and 1 to 2 millimeters wide. These sepals usually curve backward.

The petals are purplish maroon and spread out wide. They are 5 to 6 millimeters long and about 1.5 millimeters wide. The labellum is pale purple to maroon and is shaped like an oblong or an egg. It is 5 to 6 millimeters long and 2 to 4 millimeters wide. About halfway along, the labellum sharply turns upward at a 90-degree angle. The upturned part is wavy or crinkled. It has tiny, hair-like bumps called papillae on its edges.

There is also a raised, shiny part on the labellum called a callus. This callus is darker than the rest of the labellum. It sits in the center and almost reaches the tip. The shining leek orchid blooms in late September and October.

How the Shining Leek Orchid Got Its Name

Prasophyllum nitidum was officially named in 2017. Two botanists, David Jones and Robert Bates, described it. Their description was published in a magazine called Australian Orchid Review. They studied a sample collected from the Desert Camp Conservation Park.

The second part of its scientific name, nitidum, comes from a Latin word. It means "shining," "glittering," or "bright." This name refers to the shiny look of its flowers.

Where the Shining Leek Orchid Lives

The shining leek orchid mostly grows in woodlands. These woodlands are found on fertile plains in the middle to upper south-east of South Australia. You can also find it near Edenhope in far western Victoria.