Thickstem fairy fingers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Thick-stem caladenia |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Caladenia
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| Species: |
campbellii
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| Synonyms | |
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Petalochilus campbellii (D.L.Jones) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. |
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Caladenia campbellii, also known as thickstem fairy fingers or thick-stem caladenia, is a special type of plant. It belongs to the orchid family and only grows in Tasmania, Australia. This ground orchid has a single, slightly hairy leaf. Its flowers are pinkish on the outside and cream-coloured inside. They are self-pollinating and do not stay open for long.
Contents
What it Looks Like
Caladenia campbellii is a plant that grows in the ground. It is a perennial herb, which means it lives for more than two years. It also loses its leaves each year, making it deciduous. This orchid grows from an underground tuber, which is like a small storage root. It can grow by itself or in small groups.
Leaves and Stems
Each plant has one leaf. This leaf is dark green, narrow, and a little bit hairy. It is usually about 4 to 9 centimetres (about 2-3.5 inches) long. The stem that holds the flowers is quite thick, about 1.5 millimetres (0.06 inches) wide. It is also slightly hairy and grows to be about 8 to 14 centimetres (about 3-5.5 inches) tall.
Flowers and Their Parts
This orchid usually has one or two flowers. Each flower is about 1.5 to 1.8 centimetres (about 0.6-0.7 inches) across. The flowers are cream-coloured on the inside and have a pinkish tint on the outside.
Let's look at the parts of the flower:
- The dorsal sepal is the top part. It is about 8 to 10 millimetres long and shaped like a narrow egg.
- The lateral sepals are the two side parts. They are lance-shaped and about 8 to 11 millimetres long.
- The petals are also lance-shaped and similar in size to the lateral sepals.
- The labellum is the special lip-like petal. It is about 6 millimetres long and cream-coloured. It has reddish lines and a yellowish tip. The labellum has three main parts, or lobes. The side lobes stand up, and the middle lobe curves downwards.
- The labellum also has two rows of yellow to orange calli. These are small bumps with white stalks in the middle of the labellum.
- The column is the central part of the flower. It is about 5 to 6.5 millimetres long and curves forward.
Flowering Time and Life Cycle
Caladenia campbellii flowers for a very short time. This usually happens in the first two weeks of November. The flowers are only open for a day or two before they self-pollinate. This means they use their own pollen to make seeds.
How it Got its Name
The scientific name Caladenia campbellii was first officially described in 1998. It was named by a botanist named David Jones. He published the description in a scientific paper called Australian Orchid Research. The very first plant used to describe this species was found in Sisters Hills, Tasmania. The name campbellii was chosen to honour Jeff Campbell. He collected many orchid species for a plant collection in Launceston, Tasmania, including the plant that helped define this species.
Where it Lives
This type of caladenia orchid grows in specific places in north-west Tasmania. You can find it on slopes and ridges. It prefers areas with short, dense coastal scrub and forest.
Protecting This Orchid
Caladenia campbellii is a very rare plant. It is listed as "Endangered" under Tasmania's Threatened Species Protection Act 1995. It is also listed as "Critically Endangered" under a national law called the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).
There are only about 60 to 100 adult plants known to exist. These plants are found in just two main groups, and each group has fewer than fifty plants. The biggest dangers to this orchid are:
- Agricultural development: When land is cleared for farming.
- Vehicle disturbance: Damage caused by cars or other vehicles driving over its habitat.
Protecting these small groups of plants is very important to help this unique Tasmanian orchid survive.
