Sun orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sun orchid |
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| Thelymitra formosa growing in the Otago region | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Thelymitra
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| Species: |
formosa
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The Thelymitra formosa, often called the sun orchid, is a special kind of orchid. It belongs to the Orchidaceae family. This beautiful flower is found only in New Zealand, meaning it is endemic there.
The sun orchid has a single, long leaf that is usually dark green or reddish. It can grow up to fifteen blue flowers. A part of the flower called the anther has a top part (lobe) with yellowish-red edges. The side parts of the column (a central part of the flower) have fuzzy tufts of yellow or orange hairs.
What Does the Sun Orchid Look Like?
The Thelymitra formosa is a plant that grows from a tuber (a swollen underground stem, like a potato). It is a perennial herb, which means it lives for more than two years and has soft stems, not woody ones.
It has one leaf that is dark or reddish-green. This leaf is long and narrow, like a line or a spear. It can be 100–400 mm (4–20 in) long and 10–20 mm (0.4–0.8 in) wide.
The plant produces between ten and fifteen flowers. These flowers are light to dark blue and do not have any spots or stripes. Each flower is about 9–13 mm (0.4–0.5 in) wide. The flowers grow on a tall stem that can reach up to 800 mm (30 in) in height.
Inside the flower, the side parts of the column are flat. They have small clumps of orange or yellow hairs. The top part of the anther is short and has yellowish-red edges. It also has small, finger-like bumps called calli. The sun orchid usually blooms from November to January.
How the Sun Orchid Got Its Name
The Thelymitra formosa was first officially described in 1884. A botanist named William Colenso found a plant between Norsewood and Dannevirke. He then wrote about it in a scientific paper called Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute.
The second part of its scientific name, formosa, comes from a Latin word. It means "beautifully formed," "comely," or "handsome." This name perfectly describes the orchid's lovely appearance.
Where the Sun Orchid Lives
This type of sun orchid grows in several different places. You can find it in wet areas like wetlands, in areas with thick bushes called scrub, and in open forests.
The Thelymitra formosa is found on all three main islands of New Zealand: the North Island, the South Island, and Stewart Island.
