Kath's sun orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kath's sun orchid |
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| Thelymitra alcockiae growing in western Victoria | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Thelymitra
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| Species: |
alcockiae
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Thelymitra alcockiae, often called Kath's sun orchid, is a special type of orchid. It grows only in southern Australia. This means it is endemic to that area. This orchid has a single long, thin leaf. Its flowers are usually pale blue to deep purplish blue. Sometimes they are white. The back of the flowers can be mauve or reddish.
What Does It Look Like?
Kath's sun orchid is a plant that grows from a tuber (like a small potato). It lives for many years. It has one thick leaf. This leaf is shaped like a line or a spear. It has a groove down the middle. The leaf can be from 80 to 300 mm (3 to 12 in) long. It is about 5 to 10 mm (0.2 to 0.4 in) wide.
This orchid has a flowering stem that grows 100 to 600 mm (4 to 20 in) tall. On this stem, there are usually two to twelve flowers. The flowers are pale blue to deep purplish blue. Sometimes they are white. Each flower is 15 to 30 mm (0.6 to 1 in) wide.
The sepals and petals are parts of the flower. They are 10 to 16 mm (0.4 to 0.6 in) long. They are also 4 to 8 mm (0.2 to 0.3 in) wide. Their back side is often mauve or reddish. The column is a special part in the center of the orchid flower. It is pale blue or pinkish. It measures 4 to 6.5 mm (0.16 to 0.26 in) long and about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide.
The top part of the anther (which holds pollen) is brown with a yellow tip. It is shaped like a tube and curves sharply. The sides of the column have thick, mop-like tufts of white hairs. Kath's sun orchid flowers from August to October.
How Did It Get Its Name?
The scientific name Thelymitra alcockiae was first officially written down in 2013. This was done by Jeff Jeanes. He used an earlier description by David Jones. The official description was printed in a science journal called Muelleria. It was based on a plant found near Naracoorte.
The second part of the name, alcockiae, is a special specific epithet. It honors a person named "Kath Alcock". She was born in 1925. Kath Alcock was a talented artist who drew plants. She was also a field naturalist, meaning she studied nature outdoors.
Where Does It Grow?
Kath's sun orchid often grows in places that are quite dry. These places can be shrubland, open forest, or woodland. It is quite common in the north-west of Victoria. You can also find it in South Australia.
