Naked sun orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Naked sun orchid |
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| Thelymitra circumsepta near Durdidwarrah | |
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Thelymitra
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| Species: |
circumsepta
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The Thelymitra circumsepta, also known as the naked sun orchid, is a special type of orchid. It grows only in south-eastern Australia. This orchid has a single dark green leaf. It can grow up to twenty blue, purple, or pink flowers. These flowers have cool fringed edges and yellow fuzzy parts on top.
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What Does the Naked Sun Orchid Look Like?
The naked sun orchid grows from a tuber (a kind of underground stem, like a potato). It is a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It's also a herb, which means it has soft stems, not woody ones.
It has one tough, dark green leaf. This leaf is shaped like a line or a spear. It is about 15 to 30 centimeters (6-12 inches) long. The base of the leaf is often purplish.
Flowers and Their Parts
The plant can have up to twenty flowers. These flowers are blue, purple, or pink. Each flower is about 2 to 3 centimeters (0.8-1.2 inches) wide. They grow on a tall stem, which can be 15 to 70 centimeters (6-28 inches) high.
The flower has sepals and petals, which look like petals. They are about 9 to 15 millimeters (0.35-0.6 inches) long. The central part of the flower is called the column. It is pale blue or greenish.
The top part of the anther (where pollen is made) has a special shape with yellow fringed edges. The side parts of the column look like fingers. They have yellow, brush-like tufts on their ends.
When Do They Bloom?
These orchids are self-pollinated. This means they can pollinate themselves without needing insects. Their flowers usually open only on hot, humid days. You can see them flowering from December to February.
How the Naked Sun Orchid Got Its Name
The naked sun orchid was first officially described in 1878. A scientist named Robert Fitzgerald found a sample of it on Mount Tomah. He wrote about it in his book Australian Orchids.
The scientific name circumsepta comes from two Latin words:
- Circum means "around" or "on all sides."
- Septum means "enclosure" or "barrier."
Where Does the Naked Sun Orchid Live?
The naked sun orchid likes to grow in wet, swampy areas. It prefers places with lots of rain. You can find it from coastal areas up to cooler, high-mountain (subalpine) regions.
It grows in several parts of Australia:
- Along the coast and high lands of New South Wales, south of the New England Tableland.
- In south-eastern Victoria.
- In the Mount Lofty Ranges of South Australia.
- In Tasmania.
Protecting the Naked Sun Orchid
This orchid is quite rare in some places. In South Australia, only about ten to twenty plants are known to exist. Because of this, it is listed as "endangered" there. This means it is at high risk of disappearing forever.
The main problems for the naked sun orchid in South Australia are:
- It has to compete with another plant called coral fern for space and resources.
- Changes in water levels or how water flows in its habitat.
