Untidy elbow orchid facts for kids

The Arthrochilus oreophilus, also known as the untidy elbow orchid, is a special kind of flowering plant. It belongs to the orchid family. This orchid is only found in one small area near the very tip of Cape York in Queensland, Australia.

This unique plant usually has two or three leaves growing from its base. It can produce up to seven pale green flowers. These flowers look a bit like insects! They also have small reddish bumps, called glands, on a special part of the flower known as the labellum.

About the Untidy Elbow Orchid

The untidy elbow orchid is a plant that grows in the ground. It lives for many years, which means it is a perennial plant. Each year, its leaves fall off, making it deciduous, but the plant grows back. It's a soft, green plant, known as a herb.

How the Orchid Grows

This orchid has an underground storage part called a tuber. This tuber can grow new "baby" tubers on root-like stems called stolons. This helps the plant spread.

The untidy elbow orchid usually has two or three leaves at its base. Each leaf is about 20 to 50 millimeters (0.8 to 2 inches) long. They are also about 4 to 10 millimeters (0.16 to 0.4 inches) wide.

What the Flowers Look Like

The plant grows a flowering stem that can be 180 to 260 millimeters (7 to 10 inches) tall. On this stem, you can find between three and seven insect-like flowers. Each flower is about 9 to 11 millimeters (0.35 to 0.43 inches) long.

The flower has different parts:

• The dorsal sepal (the top part) is 9 to 11 millimeters long and about 1.5 millimeters wide.
• The lateral sepals (side parts) are 7 to 8.5 millimeters long and about 1.5 millimeters wide.
• The petals are 8 to 9 millimeters long and about 0.5 millimeters wide.

The petals and lateral sepals bend backward against the flower's base. The labellum, which is a special lip-like part of the orchid, has a purple base. It is about 3.5 millimeters long and sits on a stalk about 3.5 millimeters long. The labellum has a central part covered with many tiny, shiny, hair-like glands. Its tip is about 1 millimeter wide and has shiny black glands.

This orchid usually blooms from November to February.

Naming the Untidy Elbow Orchid

The untidy elbow orchid was officially named Arthrochilus apectus in 2004. It was described by a botanist named David Jones. He found a sample of the plant in the Heathlands Reserve, near the tip of Cape York. The name was published in a magazine called The Orchadian.

Meaning of the Name

The second part of its scientific name, apectus, comes from an Ancient Greek word. It means "uncombed" or "unkempt." This is why the common name is "untidy elbow orchid."

Where the Orchid Lives

The untidy elbow orchid grows in forests. It is found in the northern part of the Cape York Peninsula in Queensland.

How the Orchid Reproduces

Like other Arthrochilus orchids, the untidy elbow orchid relies on insects for pollination. Male thynnid wasps from the Arthrothynnus group help pollinate this orchid. Even though we know the type of wasp, the exact species is still a mystery.

Besides relying on wasps, this orchid can also reproduce on its own. It does this by growing new tubers underground. This is a way for the plant to make copies of itself without needing seeds.