Thelymitra holmesii facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blue star sun orchid |
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| Thelymitra holmesii in the Southern Grampians | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
| Tribe: | Diurideae |
| Genus: | Thelymitra |
| Species: |
T. holmesii
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| Binomial name | |
| Thelymitra holmesii Nicholls
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| Synonyms | |
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The blue star sun orchid, also known as Thelymitra holmesii, is a special type of orchid that only grows in south-eastern Australia. It has one long, thin, fleshy leaf. This orchid can have up to nine beautiful purplish-blue or mauve flowers. Each flower has a unique part at the top called an anther, which has a deeply notched shape.
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What is the Blue Star Sun Orchid?
The blue star sun orchid is a tuberous plant, meaning it grows from a round, underground storage part, similar to a potato. It's a perennial plant, which means it lives for more than two years. It has a single leaf that stands straight up. This leaf is fleshy, grooved, and shaped like a line. It can be from 70 to 350 mm long and 3 to 10 mm wide, with a purplish base.
Flowers of the Blue Star Sun Orchid
The blue star sun orchid produces up to nine purplish-blue or mauve flowers. These flowers are about 12 to 22 mm wide. They grow on a flowering stem that can be 200 to 650 mm tall. The stem also has two small leaf-like parts called bracts.
The sepals and petals of the flower are 6 to 15 mm long and 3.5 to 8 mm wide. The central part of the flower, called the column, is pale to dark mauve or pink. It is about 4.5 to 5.5 mm long and 2.5 to 3.5 mm wide. The top part of the anther is dark purple, almost black, with a yellow, deeply notched, curved tip. The side parts of the column have loose, white hairs that look a bit like a toothbrush.
These orchids are special because they are self-pollinated. This means they can pollinate themselves without needing insects or other plants. Their flowers only open slowly, and only on very hot days! You can usually see them flowering from October to December.
How the Blue Star Sun Orchid Got Its Name
The scientific name Thelymitra holmesii was first officially described in 1933. A scientist named William Henry Nicholls described it from a plant he found near Portland. He published his description in a science magazine called The Victorian Naturalist.
The second part of its name, holmesii, was chosen to honor "Murray Holmes." He was a young and energetic person who studied orchids.
Where the Blue Star Sun Orchid Lives
The blue star sun orchid likes to grow in places that are wet or swampy during winter. Sometimes, you can find it in areas where the land has been disturbed, or in forest woodlands and heathlands.
You can find this orchid in several parts of Australia:
- Southern Victoria
- Near Bundanoon in New South Wales
- In the south-east of South Australia
- In different scattered groups in Tasmania
Protecting the Blue Star Sun Orchid
Because of where it lives and how special it is, the blue star sun orchid needs protection.
- In South Australia, it is listed as "vulnerable." This means it could become endangered if we don't protect it.
- In Tasmania, it is listed as "rare" under a law called the Threatened Species Protection Act 1995. This law helps protect plants and animals that are not very common.
