Small rein orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Small rein orchid |
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|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Habenaria
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| Species: |
euryloba
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The small rein orchid (scientific name: Habenaria euryloba) is a special type of orchid. It only grows in a small part of Far North Queensland in Australia. This means it's endemic to that area, found nowhere else in the world! This plant has two or three leaves near its base. It can grow up to twenty small white flowers. These flowers have a unique lip, called a labellum, that looks a bit like a trident (a three-pronged spear).
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What the Small Rein Orchid Looks Like
The small rein orchid is a plant that grows from a tuber (like a small potato). It comes back year after year, making it a perennial herb. Each plant usually has two or three leaves at its base. These leaves are about 7 to 11 centimeters (3 to 4 inches) long. They are also about 8 to 11 millimeters (0.3 to 0.4 inches) wide.
The orchid grows a tall flowering stem, which can be 25 to 50 centimeters (10 to 20 inches) high. On this stem, you'll find eight to twenty small white flowers. Each flower is about 8 to 10 millimeters (0.3 to 0.4 inches) long and 10 to 12 millimeters (0.4 to 0.5 inches) wide.
Flower Parts
The top part of the flower is called the dorsal sepal. It joins with the petals to form a small hood. This hood covers the central part of the flower, called the column. The other two sepals, called lateral sepals, spread out to the sides and point downwards.
The most interesting part is the labellum, or lip. It's about 6 to 7.5 millimeters (0.2 to 0.3 inches) long and wide. It has three parts, making it look like a trident. The middle part is about 4 millimeters (0.16 inches) long. The two side parts are a bit shorter and much thinner.
The flower also has a straight, white tube called a nectary spur. It has a green tip and is about 6 to 8 millimeters (0.2 to 0.3 inches) long. You can usually see these beautiful flowers blooming between December and February.
How the Small Rein Orchid Got Its Name
The small rein orchid was first officially described in 1998. A botanist named David Jones gave it its scientific name, Habenaria euryloba. He described it from a plant he found near Cooktown in 1992.
The name euryloba comes from two words in Ancient Greek.
- Eurys means "broad" or "wide."
- Lobos means "a rounded part" or "projection."
This name likely refers to the wide, rounded parts of the flower's lip.
Where the Small Rein Orchid Lives
The small rein orchid has a very small home range. It lives only near Cooktown in far north Queensland, Australia. You can find it growing in swamps that get very wet during the summer. It often grows alongside plants like sedges and rushes. It also likes to live in wetlands where Melaleuca viridiflora trees grow.
