Tuncurry midge orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tuncurry midge orchid |
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| Conservation status | |
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| Genus: |
Genoplesium
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| Species: |
littorale
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The Tuncurry midge orchid (scientific name: Genoplesium littorale) is a tiny and special type of orchid. In Australia, it's also called Corunastylis littoralis. This small plant grows only in New South Wales and nowhere else in the world. It has a single thin leaf that's joined to its flower stem. It can grow up to thirty small green flowers, each with a purple-brown part called a labellum. Sadly, there are fewer than two thousand of these plants left, all in a small area on the New South Wales North Coast. Because of this, it is considered critically endangered.
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What Does the Tuncurry Midge Orchid Look Like?
The Tuncurry midge orchid is a plant that grows from an underground tuber (like a small potato). It's a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years, and it's a deciduous herb, which means its leaves fall off at certain times of the year.
It has one thin, dark green leaf that is about 10 to 25 centimeters (4 to 10 inches) long. The bottom part of the leaf is reddish and is joined to the flowering stem. The free part of the leaf is about 1 to 1.8 centimeters (0.4 to 0.7 inches) long.
The plant produces between five and thirty green flowers on a stem that is about 1 to 3 centimeters (0.4 to 1.2 inches) tall. These flowers hang downwards and are quite small, about 5 millimeters (0.2 inches) long and 4 millimeters (0.16 inches) wide. They are unusual because they are inverted, meaning the labellum (a special lip-like petal) is above the column (the central part of the flower) instead of below it.
Each flower has different parts:
- The dorsal sepal (the top leaf-like part) is about 4 millimeters (0.16 inches) long and 2.5 millimeters (0.1 inches) wide. It has a pointed tip and smooth edges.
- The lateral sepals (the two side leaf-like parts) are about 4.5 millimeters (0.18 inches) long and 1 millimeter (0.04 inches) wide. They point downwards and spread wide apart.
- The petals are about 3 millimeters (0.12 inches) long and 1 millimeter (0.04 inches) wide. They have a sharp tip and smooth edges.
- The labellum is purplish-brown and shaped like an oblong. It's about 2.5 millimeters (0.1 inches) long and 1 millimeter (0.04 inches) wide. It has a curled, sharply pointed tip and smooth edges. There's also a raised area called a callus in the middle of the labellum, reaching almost to its tip.
These orchids usually bloom from March to May.
How the Tuncurry Midge Orchid Got Its Name
The Tuncurry midge orchid was first officially described in 2001 by a botanist named David Jones. He found a sample of the plant near a town called Tuncurry. His description was published in a special magazine called The Orchadian.
In 2002, David Jones and another botanist, Mark Clements, decided to change the plant's name to Corunastylis littorale. The second part of its scientific name, littorale, comes from the Latin word littus, which means "shore." This makes sense because the orchid grows near the coast.
Where the Tuncurry Midge Orchid Lives
The Tuncurry midge orchid grows in sandy areas near the coast. You can find it in scrubland on stable sand dunes in the Forster and Tuncurry area of New South Wales.
How the Tuncurry Midge Orchid is Pollinated
Scientists have discovered that five different types of flies help pollinate the Tuncurry midge orchid. These flies belong to the genera (groups of species) called Conioscinella and Cadrema. When the flies visit the flowers, they get a reward: nectar! However, the nectar supply is used up quickly by the visiting flies.
Why the Tuncurry Midge Orchid Needs Our Help
In 2010, experts estimated that there were only about 1,960 Tuncurry midge orchid plants left in the world. This small number means the species is in great danger.
The main threats to the Tuncurry midge orchid include:
- Weed invasion: Other plants (weeds) can grow too much and take over the orchid's habitat, making it hard for the orchids to survive.
- Grazing by rabbits: Rabbits eat the plants, which reduces their numbers.
- Future building developments: New houses or buildings could be built in the areas where the orchids live, destroying their habitat.
Because of these threats, the Tuncurry midge orchid is listed as "critically endangered" (CR). This means it faces a very high risk of disappearing forever in the wild. It is protected under two important laws: the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and the New South Wales Government's New South Wales Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995. These laws help protect the orchid and its habitat.
