Small potato orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Small potato orchid |
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|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Gastrodia
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| Species: |
vescula
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The Small Potato Orchid (Gastrodia vescula) is a special type of orchid. It doesn't have leaves like most plants. Instead, it gets its food from tiny fungi in the ground! This orchid has a thin, light brown stem that can grow up to three pale brown flowers. The inside of these flowers is white. You can only find this rare orchid in a small area between South Australia and Victoria.
What Does the Small Potato Orchid Look Like?
The Small Potato Orchid is a plant that grows on land. It does not have any leaves. It gets its food from fungi, which means it is a "mycotrophic" plant.
This orchid has a very thin, light brown stem that can break easily. The stem grows about 50 to 200 centimeters (20 to 79 inches) tall. It usually has up to three smooth, light brown flowers that often hang down.
The parts of the flower that look like petals (called sepals and petals) are joined together. They form a tube about 10 to 12 millimeters (0.4 to 0.5 inches) long. The inside of this tube is white. The tips of these joined parts are very small, about 2 millimeters (0.08 inches) long.
Inside the flower, there is a special lip-like part called the labellum. This labellum is about 9 to 11 millimeters (0.35 to 0.43 inches) long and about 3 millimeters (0.12 inches) wide. It has three small sections, or lobes. The labellum is completely hidden inside the flower's tube.
How Was This Orchid Named?
The Small Potato Orchid was first officially described in 1991. A scientist named David Jones found a sample of it in 1988. He found it in a nature reserve near Mount Gambier.
The description of the orchid was published in a science book called Australian Orchid Research. The second part of its scientific name, vescula, comes from a Latin word. It means "little" or "unimportant." This name refers to how small and delicate this orchid looks.
Where Does the Small Potato Orchid Live?
The Small Potato Orchid is very rare. It is only found in a small area. This area is in the far southeast part of South Australia. It also grows in the far western part of Victoria.
It likes to grow in forests that are dense and have lots of heath plants.
