Tonsil orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tonsil orchid |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Vrydagzynea
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| Species: |
elongata
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| Synonyms | |
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The Vrydagzynea elongata, often called the tonsil orchid, is a unique type of orchid. It grows naturally in New Guinea, the Maluku Islands, and the far northern part of Queensland, Australia. This plant has between four and seven dark green leaves that look like eggs. It also produces many small, white flowers that are twisted upside down and barely open.
What the Tonsil Orchid Looks Like
The tonsil orchid is a herb that grows from a tuber (like a small potato) and lives for many years. It has five to seven shiny, dark green leaves. These leaves are shaped like eggs, about 30 to 60 mm (1.2 to 2.4 in) long and 20 mm (0.8 in) wide. They have wavy edges and grow in a loose circle, like a rosette.
Many small, white flowers grow closely together on a stem called a rachis. This stem is usually 17 to 30 mm (0.7 to 1.2 in) long. The flowers are tube-shaped and about 4 mm (0.2 in) long. They are twisted upside down and do not open very wide. The top part of the flower, called the sepal, and the petals overlap. They form a little hood over the central part of the flower, known as the column.
The lower petal, called the labellum, is shaped like a heart. It is about 3.5 mm (0.1 in) long and 2 mm (0.08 in) wide. This labellum has a small spur with two round, stalked glands about 1 mm (0.04 in) long. You can see these orchids flowering during most months of the year.
In 2004, two botanists, David Jones and Mark Clements, described a similar orchid. They named it Vrydagzynea grayi. This plant was found by Bruce Gray in what is now part of the Daintree National Park. However, scientists now consider V. grayi to be the same species as V. elongata.
How the Tonsil Orchid Got Its Name
The tonsil orchid, Vrydagzynea elongata, was first officially described in 1858. This was done by a scientist named Carl Ludwig Blume. He found specimens of the orchid in New Guinea in 1841. Blume then published his description in two of his books that same year. These books were called Flora Javae et insularum adjacentium and Collection des orchidées les plus remarquables de l'Archipel indien et du Japon.
Where the Tonsil Orchid Lives
The tonsil orchid grows in different types of forests. This includes rainforests and forests found in swamps near river mouths. You can find this orchid in the Maluku Islands and New Guinea. In Australia, it grows in the areas from Mossman to Daintree in far north Queensland.
