Small tongue orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Small tongue orchid |
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| Cryptostylis leptochila in Bournda National Park | |
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Cryptostylis leptochila var. frenchiana F.Muell. |
The Cryptostylis leptochila, also called the small tongue orchid, is a unique type of orchid. It grows only in eastern Australia. This plant usually has one or a few wide leaves. It also has up to fifteen green flowers. Each flower has a dark red labellum, which is a special lip-like petal. This labellum has a black stripe and black dots on both sides.
Like other orchids in its group, this plant is pollinated by male ichneumon wasps. These wasps help the orchid make seeds.
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What Does the Small Tongue Orchid Look Like?
The Small Tongue Orchid is a plant that grows in the ground. It is a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It is also deciduous, so its leaves fall off at certain times. This plant is a herb, which means it has soft stems, not woody ones.
It has one to several wide leaves. These leaves are shaped like an egg or a wide spear. They can be from 18 to 120 millimeters (about 0.7 to 4.7 inches) long. They are 25 to 40 millimeters (about 1 to 1.6 inches) wide. The leaves grow on a stem called a petiole, which is 10 to 60 millimeters (about 0.4 to 2.4 inches) long. The top of the leaves is green. The bottom side is a reddish-purple color.
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The plant produces five to fifteen flowers. These flowers are 15 to 20 millimeters (about 0.6 to 0.8 inches) long. They are 4 to 5 millimeters (about 0.16 to 0.2 inches) wide. The flowers grow on a tall stem that is 200 to 400 millimeters (about 7.9 to 15.7 inches) high.
The sepals and petals of the flower are thin and straight. They are greenish or yellowish. They spread out stiffly. The sepals are 13 to 23 millimeters (about 0.5 to 0.9 inches) long. The petals are 6 to 15 millimeters (about 0.2 to 0.6 inches) long.
The labellum, or lip, is dark red. It is shaped like a line or an oblong. It forms a cup around the column, which is part of the flower's center. Its edges are rolled under. The end of the labellum suddenly turns downwards. It is 16 to 20 millimeters (about 0.6 to 0.8 inches) long and about 5 millimeters (about 0.2 inches) wide. It has a raised black line in the middle. There are also uneven lines of raised black bumps, called calli, on both sides of this line. The surface of the labellum is covered with tiny glandular hairs.
How Does the Small Tongue Orchid Reproduce?
The Small Tongue Orchid flowers from November to May. Its flowers are pollinated by male Lissopimpla excelsa wasps. The wasps try to mate with the flowers because the flowers look and smell like female wasps. This trick helps the orchid spread its pollen.
How Did It Get Its Name?
The Small Tongue Orchid was first officially described in 1873. This was done by George Bentham. He used notes from an earlier description by Ferdinand von Mueller. The description was published in a book called Flora Australiensis.
The scientific name leptochila comes from two old Ancient Greek words. Leptos means "fine," "small," "thin," or "delicate." Cheilos means "lip." So, the name refers to the orchid's small, delicate lip.
Where Does the Small Tongue Orchid Live?
The small tongue orchid grows in forests. It usually prefers areas that get a lot of rain. You can find it in southeastern Queensland. It also grows along the coast and ranges of New South Wales. It is found in southeastern Victoria and on Flinders Island.
Is the Small Tongue Orchid in Danger?
This orchid is considered "endangered" in Tasmania. It only grows in a few spots on Flinders Island there. Sadly, it is not found in any nature reserves on the island.
The biggest dangers to this plant are certain fire patterns. Also, land clearing, where forests are cut down, threatens it. The Small Tongue Orchid is protected under Tasmania's Threatened Species Protection Act 1995.
