Tiny helmet orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tiny helmet orchid |
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| Corybas despectans growing near Albany | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
| Tribe: | Diurideae |
| Genus: | Corybas |
| Species: |
C. despectans
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| Binomial name | |
| Corybas despectans D.L.Jones & R.C.Nash
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| Synonyms | |
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The Corybas despectans, also known as the tiny helmet orchid or sandhill helmet orchid, is a special type of orchid. It grows only in southern Australia. This small plant has a round or heart-shaped leaf. Its tiny flower is a beautiful reddish-purple color.
Unlike many other orchids in its group, the top part of its flower (called the dorsal sepal) does not completely cover the flower's "lip" (called the labellum). This orchid looks a bit like another one called C. incurvus, but its flowers are much smaller.
What Does It Look Like?
The tiny helmet orchid is a plant that grows on the ground. It lives for many years and loses its leaves at certain times. Each plant has one round or heart-shaped leaf. This leaf is about 8 to 25 millimeters (0.3 to 1 inch) long and 12 to 30 millimeters (0.5 to 1.2 inches) wide. The top of the leaf is green, and the bottom is a shiny silvery-green.
Each plant grows a single flower that stands upright. The flower is reddish-purple with some green or clear areas. It is about 7 to 12 millimeters (0.3 to 0.5 inches) long and 9 to 11 millimeters (0.35 to 0.43 inches) wide.
The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, is greenish-grey. It stands up at first, then curves over. This part is about 6 to 11 millimeters (0.2 to 0.4 inches) long. It usually does not fully cover the flower's lip (labellum).
The side parts of the flower, called lateral sepals, are about 5 millimeters (0.2 inches) long. They join at their base and then become very thin at the tip. The petals are tiny, about 2 millimeters (0.08 inches) long. They are widest at the bottom and then become thread-like.
The labellum, or "lip" of the flower, is longer than the dorsal sepal. It is about 7 to 8 millimeters (0.28 to 0.31 inches) long and 9 to 11 millimeters (0.35 to 0.43 inches) wide. It is reddish and has clear veins. These orchids usually bloom from June to September.
How Scientists Named It
Scientists use a system called taxonomy to name and group living things. The tiny helmet orchid, Corybas despectans, was first officially described in 1976. Two scientists, David Jones and R.C. Nash, described it from a plant they found near Warooka. They published their description in a science journal called Muelleria.
The second part of its scientific name, despectans, is a Latin word. It means "look down upon."
In 2002, David Jones and another scientist, Mark Clements, suggested changing the name of this orchid to Corysanthes despectans. However, most scientists still use the original name, Corybas despectans.
Where It Lives
The tiny helmet orchid grows in groups in forests and scrubland. It is very common in some areas. You can find it in different parts of southern Australia. These include western Victoria and the Mornington Peninsula. It also grows in the south-east of South Australia, including Kangaroo Island. In Western Australia, it is found between Bunbury and Israelite Bay.
 | Roy Wilkins |
 | John Lewis |
 | Linda Carol Brown |
