Tiny mosquito orchid facts for kids
The tiny mosquito orchid (Acianthus exiguus) is a small, beautiful flowering plant that belongs to the orchid family. It's a special plant because it only grows in New South Wales, Australia. This orchid is a ground-dwelling herb with a single, heart-shaped leaf. It has up to five see-through, greenish-white flowers with pink marks. You can find it growing in forests along the north coast of New South Wales.
Quick facts for kids Tiny mosquito orchid |
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| Acianthus exiguus near Repton | |
| Scientific classification | |
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Acianthus
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| Species: |
exiguus
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Contents
What Does the Tiny Mosquito Orchid Look Like?
The tiny mosquito orchid 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 has one smooth, dark green leaf shaped like a heart. The underside of the leaf is a light reddish-purple color.
The leaf is about 18–30 mm (0.7–1 in) long and 15–20 mm (0.6–0.8 in) wide. It grows on a stem that is about 2–5 cm (0.8–2 in) tall.
Its Flowers
This orchid can have up to five flowers. They are spaced out on a thin stem that grows 6–10 cm (2–4 in) tall. Each flower is small, only about 5–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long.
- The top petal, called the dorsal sepal, is oval-shaped. It's about 4–5 mm (0.2–0.2 in) long and 3–3.5 mm (0.12–0.14 in) wide. It's a see-through greenish-white with faint red marks. This sepal forms a small hood over the center of the flower.
- The side petals, called lateral sepals, are about 6–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long. They are narrow and often have a curved tip. They are similar in color to the top petal and stick out below the flower's lip.
- Other petals are about 2.0–2.5 mm (0.08–0.1 in) long. They are narrow and usually spread out wide.
- The labellum is the special lip-like petal. It's pink to pinkish-mauve and about 3.5–4.0 mm (0.14–0.16 in) long and 2 mm (0.08 in) wide. Its edges are smooth, not rolled or toothed.
- There's a thick, fleshy part in the middle of the labellum called a callus. It's green and has many small bumps on its outer half.
The tiny mosquito orchid flowers bloom from May to June. You can tell this orchid apart from other mosquito orchids because of its small, greenish, slightly upright flowers and its narrow, purplish labellum.
How It Got Its Name
The Acianthus exiguus was first officially described in 1991 by a botanist named David Jones. He published his description in a research paper called Australian Orchid Research. The name exiguus comes from a Latin word that means "small" or "little."
Some scientists, like Paul Kores, believe that A. exiguus and a few other similar orchids are actually the same as another orchid called A. fornicatus. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew agrees with this idea.
How It Reproduces
Unlike many other mosquito orchids, the flowers of the tiny mosquito orchid can pollinate themselves. This means they don't need insects or other animals to carry pollen from one flower to another.
Where It Lives
This orchid grows in specific areas between Repton and Wardell in the North Coast region of New South Wales. It likes to grow in sandy soil and clay soil. You can find it in tall, moist forests and rainforests.
Protecting the Tiny Mosquito Orchid
The tiny mosquito orchid has a special rating called 3RC- from ROTAP. This rating means that the plant is uncommon, but it is not currently in danger of disappearing. It is important to protect its habitat to keep these unique orchids safe.
