Swamp leek orchid (New Zealand) facts for kids
The swamp leek orchid (scientific name: Prasophyllum hectori) is a special type of orchid that only grows in New Zealand. It has a single dark green leaf shaped like a tube. Its flowers are yellow-green and smell nice, often with red or brown marks. This orchid is similar to another New Zealand orchid called Prasophyllum colensoi, but the swamp leek orchid is bigger, has more flowers, and loves to grow in swampy places.
Quick facts for kids Swamp leek orchid |
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Gastrodia hectori Buchanan |
What Does It Look Like?
The swamp leek orchid is a plant that grows from an underground tuber (like a small potato). It's a perennial plant, which means it lives for more than two years. It's also a deciduous plant, so its leaves fall off at certain times.
This orchid has one dark green or yellowish-green leaf that looks like a tube or a rush. This leaf is usually taller than the stem where the flowers grow. The flowering stem comes out of the leaf about one-third of the way up from the bottom.
Flowers
The swamp leek orchid has between ten and eighty flowers on a spike about 80 mm (3 inches) long. The flowers are yellow to greenish and are about 5-8 mm (0.2-0.3 inches) long. They have a mostly white labellum, which is a special lip-like petal.
Like other orchids in its group, the flowers are upside down. This means the labellum is above the column (the central part of the flower) instead of below it.
- The dorsal sepal (the top part of the flower) is broadly egg-shaped and curved like a dish. It's about 6-8 mm (0.2-0.3 inches) long.
- The lateral sepals (the side parts) are narrow and a bit longer than the dorsal sepal. They are separate from each other.
- The petals are slightly shorter and thinner than the lateral sepals.
- The labellum is egg-shaped and bends sharply upwards about halfway from its base. The edges of the labellum are white and wavy. There's also a light green callus (a thickened area) in the center of the labellum.
This orchid usually flowers from December to February in New Zealand.
How It Got Its Name
The swamp leek orchid was first officially described in 1887 by a botanist named John Buchanan. He first called it Gastrodia hectori. Later, in 2005, other botanists named Brian Molloy, David Jones, and Mark Clements changed its name to Prasophyllum hectori.
The second part of its scientific name, hectori, honors a famous naturalist named James Hector.
Where It Lives
The swamp leek orchid grows on the North and Chatham Island islands of New Zealand. It likes to live in wetlands, which are wet, swampy areas. You can often find it in or near slow-flowing streams, usually growing among sedges (grass-like plants).
Conservation Status
The New Zealand Department of Conservation has classified the swamp leek orchid as "at risk" and "declining." This means its numbers are going down, and it needs protection to survive.
