Tiny pitcher orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tiny pitcher orchid |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Saccolabiopsis
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| Species: |
rectifolia
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| Synonyms | |
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The Saccolabiopsis rectifolia, also called the tiny pitcher orchid, is a special plant. It is an epiphytic orchid, which means it grows on other plants, like trees, but doesn't harm them. It belongs to the family called Orchidaceae. This tiny orchid has a short stem and thin roots. It usually has three to six leaves that grow close together. Its flowers are green and shaped like small cups, with a white part called a labellum that has purple spots. You can find this orchid growing on the thin outer branches of rainforest trees in tropical North Queensland, Australia.
What the Tiny Pitcher Orchid Looks Like
The tiny pitcher orchid is a very small herb. It grows on other plants and has one main part that grows upwards. It has thin roots and a stem that is only about 1 to 15 millimeters (0.04 to 0.6 inches) long.
This orchid usually has between three and six leaves. These leaves are thin and grow close together. They are light green to yellowish and are about 15 to 40 millimeters (0.6 to 1.6 inches) long and 6 to 10 millimeters (0.2 to 0.4 inches) wide.
The orchid produces between four and fifteen cup-shaped flowers. These flowers are green and small, about 3 millimeters (0.1 inches) long and 2 millimeters (0.08 inches) wide. They grow on a thin flowering stem that is 20 to 60 millimeters (0.8 to 2.4 inches) long. The sepals and petals of the flower are about 2 millimeters (0.08 inches) long and 1 millimeter (0.04 inches) wide.
The most interesting part is the labellum. It is white with purple spots and is about 2 millimeters (0.08 inches) long and 1.5 millimeters (0.06 inches) wide. It has a tip that looks like a bird's beak and a special part that holds nectar. These orchids usually bloom from June to August.
How the Tiny Pitcher Orchid Got Its Name
The way plants and animals are named and classified is called taxonomy. The tiny pitcher orchid was first officially described in 1967. A scientist named Alick William Dockrill gave it the name Robiquetia rectifolia. This description was published in a book called Australasian Sarcanthinae.
Later, in 1972, another scientist named Leslie Andrew Garay changed its name to Saccolabiopsis rectifolia. The second part of its scientific name, rectifolia, comes from two Latin words. Rectus means "straight" or "upright", and folia means "leaves". So, its name describes its straight leaves.
Where the Tiny Pitcher Orchid Lives
The Saccolabiopsis rectifolia orchid grows in a specific part of Australia. It lives on the very thin outer branches of rainforest trees. You can find it in Queensland, specifically between the Russell River and the Johnstone River. This area is known for its lush rainforests, which provide the perfect home for this tiny orchid.
