Thelymitra hygrophila facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blue star sun orchid |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Thelymitra
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| Species: |
hygrophila
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The blue star sun orchid (scientific name: Thelymitra hygrophila) is a beautiful and rare type of orchid. It grows only in a small part of South Australia. This special flower has a single upright leaf and pretty pale blue to cornflower blue flowers. These flowers only open on warm, humid days. Sadly, much of the places where it used to grow have been cleared away. Because of this, the blue star sun orchid is now in great danger of disappearing forever. It is considered "critically endangered."
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What Does It Look Like?
The blue star sun orchid is a plant that grows from a tuber (like a small underground storage part). It's a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. This orchid has one upright, thick, grooved leaf. The leaf can be from 100 to 300 mm (about 4 to 12 inches) long and 2 to 6 mm (about 0.1 to 0.2 inches) wide.
The Flowers
Each plant can have up to five flowers. These flowers are a lovely pale blue to cornflower blue color. They are about 15 to 20 mm (about 0.6 to 0.8 inches) wide. The flowers grow on a stem that stands 200 to 400 mm (about 8 to 16 inches) tall.
The outer parts of the flower, called sepals and petals, are 7 to 11 mm (about 0.3 to 0.4 inches) long. They are 3 to 8 mm (about 0.1 to 0.3 inches) wide. The central part of the flower, called the column, is pale blue. It is 5 to 7 mm (about 0.2 to 0.3 inches) long and 2 to 3 mm (about 0.08 to 0.1 inches) wide.
The top part of the column is sharply curved and dark brown to black. It has a yellow, deeply notched tip. The side parts of the column curve forward. They have thick tufts of white hairs on their ends. These special flowers only open up on warm, humid days, usually in October.
How It Got Its Name
The blue star sun orchid was first officially described in 2010. A scientist named Robert Bates found a sample of it near Springton in 2004. He published his description in the Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Garden.
The scientific name hygrophila comes from Ancient Greek words. It is thought to mean "water-loving." This name refers to how this orchid likes to grow in moist places.
Where It Lives
The blue star sun orchid grows in rich soil. It is often found near river red gum trees. It also grows near temporary ponds with rushes and sedges (grass-like plants). You can find it in the Murray and Southern Lofty botanical regions of South Australia.
Protecting This Rare Orchid
Sadly, the places where the blue star sun orchid grows have become much smaller. This is mostly because land has been cleared for other uses. In 2010, this orchid was found in three different spots. However, it has not been seen in those places since then.
Because it is so rare, the blue star sun orchid is listed as "vulnerable" in South Australia. It is also listed as "critically endangered" under a special law called the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). This means it is at very high risk of disappearing forever.
The biggest dangers to this orchid are:
- Land clearing: When its habitat is removed.
- Drying up of water: The ponds and moist areas where it grows are drying out. This happens because of changes in how water drains away.
It is very important to protect the remaining areas where this special blue star sun orchid can still grow.
