Forest sun orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Forest sun orchid |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Thelymitra
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| Species: |
arenaria
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The Thelymitra arenaria, often called the forest sun orchid, is a special type of orchid. It grows only in south-eastern Australia, meaning it is endemic there. This unique plant has one long, thin leaf. It can grow up to sixteen purplish flowers. These flowers are interesting because they can pollinate themselves and only open up on really warm days!
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About the Forest Sun Orchid
The forest sun orchid is a tuberous plant. This means it has a special underground stem that stores food, like a potato. It's also a perennial herb, which means it lives for more than two years and has soft stems, not woody ones like a tree.
What Does It Look Like?
Each forest sun orchid has a single, tough, dark green leaf. This leaf is shaped like a line or a spear and is grooved. It can be about 15 to 30 centimeters (6 to 12 inches) long and 0.8 to 1.8 centimeters (0.3 to 0.7 inches) wide. The bottom part of the leaf is often purplish.
The plant grows a flowering stem that can be 24 to 40 centimeters (9 to 16 inches) tall. On this stem, you'll find between two and sixteen purplish flowers. Each flower is about 1.6 to 2.6 centimeters (0.6 to 1 inch) wide. The stem usually has two small leaf-like parts called bracts.
The flower parts, called sepals and petals, are about 0.8 to 1.5 centimeters (0.3 to 0.6 inches) long and 0.4 to 0.8 centimeters (0.2 to 0.3 inches) wide. The central part of the flower, called the column, is pale blue with dark blue stripes. It's about 0.45 to 0.6 centimeters (0.18 to 0.24 inches) long.
The top part of the anther (which holds pollen) is dark brown with a yellow tip and curves gently. The side parts of the column curve upwards and have thick, white hairs that look like a tiny hairbrush.
A cool fact about these flowers is that they can pollinate themselves! They only open up on warm or hot, humid days. You can usually see them flowering from October to December.
Where Does It Grow?
The forest sun orchid is quite common and can be found in many places across its range. It grows in different types of environments, from open grasslands to thick forests. You can find this orchid in southern New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, the southern part of Victoria, south-eastern South Australia, and in Tasmania.
How Did It Get Its Name?
The scientific name for the forest sun orchid, Thelymitra arenaria, was first officially written down in 1840. A scientist named John Lindley described it from a plant he found in Tasmania. He published his description in a book called The genera and species of Orchidaceous plants.
The second part of its name, arenaria, comes from a Latin word. It means "of sand" or "sandy." This name likely refers to the type of soil or habitat where this orchid is often found.
