Rainbow sun orchid facts for kids
The rainbow sun orchid (scientific name: Thelymitra polychroma) is a special type of orchid. It grows only in Tasmania, an island state of Australia. This beautiful orchid has a single long leaf and pretty blue and mauve flowers. These flowers often have darker lines, like tiny veins. You can find it growing in windy, open areas and even in wet, swampy places. What's cool is that its flowers can pollinate themselves!
Quick facts for kids Rainbow sun orchid |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Thelymitra
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| Species: |
polychroma
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Contents
What Does the Rainbow Sun Orchid Look Like?
The rainbow sun orchid is a type of plant that grows from a tuber (a swollen 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 like a tree.
Each orchid has one thick, grooved leaf. This leaf is usually 10 to 20 centimeters (about 4 to 8 inches) long. It is also about 4 to 8 millimeters (about 0.16 to 0.31 inches) wide.
The plant grows a stem that can be 10 to 25 centimeters (about 4 to 10 inches) tall. On this stem, you might see up to four flowers. These flowers are blue and mauve (a light purple color). They have darker lines that look like veins and sometimes a few small spots. Each flower is about 1.5 to 2 centimeters (about 0.6 to 0.8 inches) wide.
The outer parts of the flower, called sepals and petals, are about 7 to 11 millimeters (about 0.28 to 0.43 inches) long. They are about 5 millimeters (about 0.2 inches) wide.
The central part of the flower, called the column, is very colorful. It is pink and purple with a shiny pink base. Its edges are blue. The column is about 5 millimeters (about 0.2 inches) long and 2.5 millimeters (about 0.1 inches) wide.
The top part of the anther (where pollen is made) has a brown section with a yellow tip. It also has a wrinkled back. The side parts of the anther have thick, mop-like tufts of cream-colored hairs.
When Does it Flower?
Rainbow sun orchids usually flower in November and December. Their flowers are special because they can self-pollinate. This means they don't need insects or wind to carry pollen from one flower to another. They can pollinate themselves!
The flowers only open up on very hot days. You might see more flowers after a bushfire happened in the area the summer before.
How it Got its Name
The rainbow sun orchid was first officially described in 1998. Two botanists, David Jones and Mark Alwin Clements, wrote about it. They published their description in a scientific book called Australian Orchid Research.
The scientific name for this orchid is Thelymitra polychroma. The second part of the name, polychroma, comes from two Greek words. Polys means "many," and chroma means "colour." This name was chosen because of the many colors found on the flower's column.
Where Does it Live?
The rainbow sun orchid grows in western Tasmania. It likes to live in windy areas near the coast. You can find it in places called "heathlands." These are open areas with low-growing shrubs and plants. It also grows in swampy areas.
