Plump sun orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Plump sun orchid |
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|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Thelymitra
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| Species: |
batesii
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The plump sun orchid (scientific name: Thelymitra batesii) is a special type of orchid flower. It grows only in South Australia, which means it is endemic there. This orchid has a single, thick, dark green leaf that looks like a channel. Its flowers are usually mauve (a pale purple) to bluish-purple, and they can have pinkish parts with darker stripes on the back. A cool fact about this orchid is that its unopened flower buds look very plump and round!
What the Plump Sun Orchid Looks Like
The plump sun orchid is a perennial herb, meaning it lives for more than two years and has soft, green stems instead of woody ones. It grows from a tuber (a kind of underground storage stem, like a potato).
Each plant has one straight, thick, dark green leaf. This leaf is shaped like a line or a spear and can be about 10 to 30 centimeters (4 to 12 inches) long and 0.5 to 1.1 centimeters (0.2 to 0.4 inches) wide. The bottom part of the leaf is often purplish.
The plant produces a flowering stem that stands about 20 to 45 centimeters (8 to 18 inches) tall. On this stem, you can find between two and eight flowers. These flowers are mauve to bluish-purple and are about 1.4 to 2.2 centimeters (0.6 to 0.9 inches) wide.
The parts of the flower that look like petals are called sepals and petals. They are usually 0.6 to 1 centimeter (0.2 to 0.4 inches) long and 0.35 to 0.65 centimeters (0.1 to 0.3 inches) wide. The central part of the flower, called the column, is pink or purplish. It is about 0.45 to 0.55 centimeters (0.18 to 0.22 inches) long and 0.25 to 0.35 centimeters (0.1 to 0.14 inches) wide.
The top part of the anther (which holds pollen) has a dark purplish tip that is yellow. It curves sharply forward and has deep cuts. The side parts of the column have thick, mop-like tufts of white hairs. You can usually see these beautiful orchids flowering from September to December.
How it Got its Name
The plump sun orchid was officially described and named in 2004 by a botanist named Jeff Jeanes. He published his description in a scientific journal called Muelleria. The first plant used for this description was found in the Spring Gully Conservation Park.
The second part of its scientific name, batesii, was chosen to honor Robert John Bates. He is well-known for his great knowledge of Australian orchids.
Where it Lives and Grows
The plump sun orchid is found in many places and is quite common in certain areas of South Australia. These areas are known as the Northern Lofty and Southern Lofty biogeographic regions. It likes to grow in areas with "heathy woodland" and "forest." This means it prefers places where there are trees and also low-growing shrubs, often with sandy soil.
