Slender leek orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Slender leek orchid |
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The slender leek orchid (scientific name: Prasophyllum gracillimum) is a special type of orchid. It only grows in a small area of Western Australia. This plant has one green leaf that looks like a tube. Its flowers are a mix of green, brown, and white. They are spread out along its stem. Sadly, this orchid hasn't been seen for over 50 years. Some plant experts think it might just be a different version of another orchid called P. fimbria.
What Does It Look Like?
The slender leek orchid is a plant that grows from the ground. It is a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It's also deciduous, so it loses its leaves at certain times of the year. This plant has an underground tuber, which is like a small, round storage part. It also has a single leaf shaped like a tube. This leaf is shorter than the stem that holds the flowers.
The flowers grow loosely along a stem that can reach about 180 to 250 millimeters (7 to 10 inches) tall. The flowers are green, brown, and white. Like other orchids in its family, its flowers are upside down. This means the labellum (a special lip-like petal) is above the column (the central part of the flower), instead of below it.
Each part of the flower, like the dorsal (top) sepal, the lateral (side) sepals, and the petals, gets narrower towards the tip. They are all about 7 millimeters (0.3 inches) long. The dorsal sepal is shaped like a spear and is slightly curved inward. The lateral sepals are narrow and spear-shaped, and they are joined together for most of their length. The petals are also narrow and spear-shaped. They curve and spread out wide. The labellum is shaped like a spear or an egg. It is pure white, curves upwards, and has a wavy edge.
How It Got Its Name
The slender leek orchid, Prasophyllum gracillimum, was first officially described in 1948. This description was written by William Henry Nicholls and appeared in a science magazine called The Victorian Naturalist. The plant used for this description was found near Yarloop.
The second part of its scientific name, gracillimum, is a Latin word. It means "slenderest," which perfectly describes this delicate orchid.
Some plant experts believe that this orchid might actually be a type of P. fimbria, another similar orchid species.
Where It Lives
The slender leek orchid has only ever been found in one place: near Yarloop in Western Australia. This is its "type location," meaning it's where the first official sample of the plant was collected. Sadly, no one has seen this orchid in the wild since 1944.
Related Plants
- Prasophyllum parviflorum, another type of orchid that grows only in eastern Victoria. It is also sometimes called the slender leek orchid.
