Hybrid sun orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hybrid sun orchid |
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| Thelymitra × dentata on a headland near Totaranui | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Thelymitra
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| Species: |
× dentata
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The Thelymitra × dentata, often called the hybrid sun orchid, is a special type of orchid found only in New Zealand. It's a natural hybrid between two other orchid species: T. longifolia and T. pulchella. This means it's a mix of both! This unique plant has a single thick leaf and can grow beautiful blue or pink flowers. You'll only find it growing in places where its two "parent" orchid species live close together.
What it Looks Like
The hybrid sun orchid is a plant that grows from an underground storage part, like a small potato. It lives for many years. It has one upright, thick leaf that's shaped like a channel or groove. This leaf can be about 8 to 20 centimeters (3 to 8 inches) long and 1 to 2 centimeters (0.4 to 0.8 inches) wide.
Up to six blue or pink flowers grow on a tall stem, which can reach up to 60 centimeters (2 feet) high. Each flower is about 1 to 1.5 centimeters (0.4 to 0.6 inches) wide and has clear dark blue stripes. The outer parts of the flower, called the sepals and petals, are shaped like an egg.
The central part of the flower, called the column, is blue, lavender, or pink. It's about 6.5 to 8 millimeters (0.26 to 0.31 inches) long. The top part of the column has a dark red base with a yellow tip. The side parts of the column have small groups of pale yellow hairs. Even though they look pretty, these flowers can't make seeds or new plants on their own. They are sterile, so they don't produce seed pods (called capsules).
How it Got its Name
This hybrid sun orchid was first officially described in 1968 by a botanist named Lucy Moore. She found a sample of the plant near Kaitoke in New Zealand. Her description was then published in a scientific journal called Royal Society Te Apārangi.
The "x dentata" part of its scientific name comes from a Latin word meaning "toothed" or "pointed." This refers to the small, tooth-like edges on the column arms of the flower.
Where it Lives
The hybrid sun orchid grows in different types of open areas. These include shrubland, gumland (areas where kauri gum was once found), and peat bogs (wet, spongy ground). However, it only grows in these places if its two parent species are also present.
You can find this orchid on the North Island of New Zealand, mainly between Wellington and Waikato. It also grows in some parts of the west coast of the South Island.
