Custard orchid facts for kids
The custard orchid, also known as Thelymitra villosa, is a special type of orchid that grows only in Western Australia. It's called the custard orchid because of its beautiful yellow flowers. This plant has a single, upright, hairy leaf and can grow up to twenty yellow flowers with reddish-brown spots.
Quick facts for kids Custard orchid |
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| Thelymitra villosa | |
| Scientific classification | |
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Thelymitra
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| Species: |
villosa
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Contents
About the Custard Orchid
The custard orchid is a plant that grows from the ground. It is a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It's also deciduous, so its leaves fall off at certain times. This plant is a herb with a special underground tuber (like a small potato).
A single, upright leaf grows from the base of its flowering stem. This leaf is about 60 to 100 millimeters (2.4 to 3.9 inches) long. It is also 20 to 50 millimeters (0.79 to 1.97 inches) wide. The leaf is covered with soft, white, silky hairs.
Up to twenty flowers grow on a stem that can be 300 to 600 millimeters (12 to 24 inches) tall. Each flower is about 30 to 40 millimeters (1.2 to 1.6 inches) across. The flowers are bright yellow. They have different amounts of red-brown spots and blotches.
The flower has a unique central part called a column. This column is yellow, reddish, or brown. It has a sticky middle part and hairy side parts that are joined together. The custard orchid blooms from September to November.
These flowers look a bit like the leopard orchid and the sun orchid. However, the custard orchid has a shorter, wider, and hairy leaf. This helps tell it apart from the others.
How the Custard Orchid Got Its Name
The Thelymitra villosa was first officially described in 1840. This was done by a person named John Lindley. He wrote about it in his book called A Sketch of the Vegetation of the Swan River Colony.
Lindley also said it was "A very fine species with large, stellate, yellow flowers." The second part of its scientific name, villosa, is a Latin word. It means "hairy." This refers to the plant's hairy leaf.
Where the Custard Orchid Lives
The custard orchid grows only in the southwestern part of Western Australia. This means it is endemic to that area. You can find it in several natural regions there. These include the Avon Wheatbelt, Esperance, Geraldton Sandplains, Jarrah Forest, and Swan Coastal Plain.
It likes to grow in sandy clay, or in grey, white, or yellow sand. The soil where it lives is usually wet during the winter months.
Is the Custard Orchid Safe?
The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife checks on plants. They have said that Thelymitra villosa is "not threatened." This means it is not currently in danger of disappearing.
