Long-leaved sun orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Long-leaved sun orchid |
|
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Thelymitra
|
| Species: |
angustifolia
|
The long-leaved sun orchid (scientific name: Thelymitra angustifolia) is a special type of orchid that only grows in eastern Australia. It has a single tall, thin leaf and pretty purplish-blue flowers. These flowers have cool white fluffy bits on top of their pollen parts. What's interesting is that these orchids can pollinate themselves!
What Does the Long-Leaved Sun Orchid Look Like?
The long-leaved sun orchid is a plant that grows from a tuber (like a small underground potato). It's a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It has one straight, thin, dark green leaf that can be from 100 to 500 mm (about 4 to 20 inches) long and 5 to 10 mm (about 0.2 to 0.4 inches) wide. The bottom of the leaf is usually purplish.
This orchid grows a flowering stem that can be 200 to 600 mm (about 8 to 24 inches) tall. On this stem, you'll find between two and ten purplish-blue flowers. Each flower is about 18 to 27 mm (about 0.7 to 1.1 inches) wide. There are usually three small leaf-like parts called bracts along the stem.
The flower parts, called sepals and petals, are about 8 to 15 mm (0.3 to 0.6 inches) long. The central part of the flower, called the column, is pale blue or pinkish. It's about 4.5 to 6 mm (0.18 to 0.24 inches) long. The top part of the column is brownish with a yellow tip and has a deep notch. The side parts of the column curve upwards and have white, mop-like tufts on their ends.
These flowers are quite unique because they only open on hot days. They also pollinate themselves, which means they don't need insects or other animals to carry pollen between flowers. You can usually see these orchids flowering from June to November.
How Did It Get Its Name?
The long-leaved sun orchid was first officially described in 1810 by a famous botanist named Robert Brown. He published his description in a book called Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen.
The scientific name angustifolia comes from two Latin words. Angustus means "narrow," and folia means "leaves." So, the name angustifolia perfectly describes this orchid's narrow leaves!
Where Does This Orchid Grow?
The long-leaved sun orchid grows in places that are moist to wet. You can find it in grassy areas within rainforests and tall forests. Sometimes, it also grows in more open forests and woodlands.
This orchid is quite common and can be found across a wide area in eastern Australia. It grows from the Atherton Tableland in Queensland all the way down to Mittagong in New South Wales.
