Cupped hairseed facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cupped hairseed |
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| Illustration by Lewis Roberts | |
| Scientific classification | |
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Thrixspermum
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| Species: |
congestum
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The Cupped hairseed (scientific name: Thrixspermum congestum) is a cool type of orchid. It's special because it can grow on other plants, like trees, or even on rocks! These orchids form small groups with lots of thin roots. They have up to fifteen tough, leathery leaves and beautiful star-shaped flowers. These flowers are usually white or cream-colored. You can find this orchid in places from Papuasia to northern Australia.
What Does the Cupped Hairseed Look Like?
The Cupped hairseed is a plant that grows on other plants (called an epiphyte) or on rocks (called a lithophyte). It forms small bunches with many thin roots. Its stems are flat and can be about 5 to 15 centimeters (2 to 6 inches) long.
This orchid usually has 6 to 15 leaves that are close together. These leaves are stiff and feel like leather. They are about 4 to 6 centimeters (1.5 to 2.5 inches) long and 7 to 9 millimeters (about 0.3 inches) wide.
The flowers are really pretty! They are cream-colored or white. Each flower is about 9 to 11 millimeters (0.35 to 0.43 inches) long and 12 to 15 millimeters (0.47 to 0.59 inches) wide. They grow on a thin, wire-like stem that is about 5 to 10 centimeters (2 to 4 inches) long.
The flower has parts called sepals and petals. The sepals are about 6 to 7 millimeters long and 3 to 4 millimeters wide. The petals are similar in length but thinner, about 2 millimeters wide. The main part of the flower, called the labellum, is about 5 millimeters long and 2 millimeters wide. It has three sections, or lobes. The two side lobes are hairy and stand up. They are about 1.5 millimeters long and 3 millimeters wide, and they are narrow, curved, and pointed. The middle lobe is short, thick, and hairy, with a small, hairy spur.
These orchids don't flower all the time. When they do, only one or a few flowers open at once.
How the Cupped Hairseed Got Its Name
The Cupped hairseed was first officially described in 1895. A scientist named Frederick Bailey gave it the name Cleisostoma congestum. He wrote about it in a scientific paper called Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland.
Later, in 1967, another scientist named Alick Dockrill changed its name to Thrixspermum congestum. The second part of its scientific name, congestum, is a Latin word. It means "collected," "dense," or "thick." This might refer to how its leaves are crowded together.
Where the Cupped Hairseed Lives
The Cupped hairseed likes to grow in places that are humid (moist) but also have good airflow. You can often find it growing on mangrove trees and other trees in rainforests.
This orchid is found in several different places around the world. It lives in New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, and Vanuatu. It also grows in northern Australia. In Australia, you can find it on Melville Island and in Queensland, specifically between the Iron Range and the Tully River.
