Spiral sun orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Spiral sun orchid |
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| Thelymitra matthewsii in the Grampians National Park | |
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Thelymitra
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matthewsii
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The spiral sun orchid, also known as the spiral leaved sun orchid, is a special type of orchid. Its scientific name is Thelymitra matthewsii. This beautiful flower is found naturally in New Zealand and Australia. It gets its name from its unique leaf, which twists like a spiral around its stem. The orchid has a single, dark purple flower with darker lines and yellow, ear-shaped parts on its center structure called the column.
Contents
What Does the Spiral Sun Orchid Look Like?
The spiral sun orchid is a perennial herb. This means it's a plant that lives for more than two years and has soft, green stems. It grows from a tuber (a kind of underground storage part).
Its Unique Leaf
Each orchid has just one leaf. Near the bottom, the leaf is shaped like an egg. Then, it quickly becomes narrow and long. This upper part of the leaf is often curved or twisted into a spiral. It can be about 60–90 mm (2–4 in) long and 3–7 mm (0.1–0.3 in) wide.
Its Beautiful Flower
Usually, only one flower grows on each plant, but sometimes there can be two. The flower is dark purple or violet with darker lines. It faces upwards and is about 16–20 mm (0.6–0.8 in) wide. The stem that holds the flower stands tall, reaching 100–220 mm (4–9 in) high.
The flower's outer parts, called sepals and petals, are about 8–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long and 4–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide. The top sepal is wider than the others. The central part of the flower, the column, is purplish. It's about 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long and 2 mm (0.08 in) wide. It has two bright yellow parts on its sides that look like little ears.
When Does it Bloom?
These orchids bloom from August to October. Their flowers are short-lived and only open on warm, sunny days. They are also self-pollinating, meaning they can pollinate themselves without needing insects or other plants.
How Was it Named?
The spiral sun orchid was officially described in 1911 by a scientist named Thomas Frederic Cheeseman. He found a sample of the plant that had been collected by Richard Henry Matthews. The name matthewsii was chosen to honor Mr. Matthews, who collected the first sample of this orchid. The description was published in a scientific paper called Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute.
Where Does the Spiral Sun Orchid Live?
This orchid likes to grow in open forests. It also thrives in places where the soil has been recently disturbed, like in gullies.
Its Home Countries
You can find the spiral sun orchid in a few different places:
- In the very north of the North Island of New Zealand.
- In various spots across Victoria, Australia.
- In the southeastern part of South Australia.
A Comeback Story
The spiral sun orchid used to be found in more places in New Zealand. For a while, people thought it had disappeared completely from there. But happily, it was rediscovered in the 1980s! However, it seems to have vanished from the exact spot where the first sample was found.
Protecting the Spiral Sun Orchid
The spiral sun orchid is a special plant that needs our help to survive. It is considered "threatened" in New Zealand and "vulnerable" in parts of Australia. This means it's at risk of disappearing.
What Threatens It?
Several things make it hard for this orchid to thrive:
- Habitat loss: Its natural homes are being disturbed or destroyed.
- Fire changes: Changes in how fires happen can harm the orchid.
- Weeds: Invasive weeds can take over its growing areas.
- Grazing: Animals eating the plants can also be a problem.
To help protect this unique orchid, a special plan has been created in Australia. This plan aims to help the spiral sun orchid recover and grow stronger.
