Wiry beard orchid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wiry beard orchid |
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| Calochilus caeruleus in the Tablelands Region of far north Queensland | |
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Calochilus
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| Species: |
caeruleus
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The wiry beard orchid (scientific name: Calochilus caeruleus) is a special type of orchid. You can find it growing naturally in northern Australia and New Guinea. This orchid has a single leaf that keeps growing even when the plant is flowering. It can have up to twelve greenish flowers. These flowers often have reddish-brown marks. A cool part of the flower is its "beard," which is a special lip called a labellum covered in red hairs.
What the Wiry Beard Orchid Looks Like
The wiry beard orchid is a plant that grows from the ground. It is a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It is also deciduous, so its leaves fall off at certain times. This plant is a herb and has a tuber (a swollen underground stem) that stores food.
It grows a single leaf. This leaf is only partly grown when the orchid starts to flower. But when it is fully grown, the leaf can be 300–400 mm (10–20 in) long. It is also about 6–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide.
The plant produces a thin, wiry stem that can be 500–800 mm (20–30 in) tall. On this stem, you will find between four and twelve flowers. Each flower is greenish with reddish-brown marks. They are about 18–22 mm (0.7–0.9 in) long and 12–15 mm (0.5–0.6 in) wide.
The flowers do not last very long, usually only one or two days. The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, is about 6–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long. The side sepals are similar in length but are narrower. The petals are about 6–6.5 mm (0.24–0.26 in) long.
The most interesting part is the labellum, which is like a lip. It is flat and measures 14–16 mm (0.55–0.63 in) long. The base of the labellum has purple bumps called calli. The middle part of the labellum has stiff red hairs that can be up to 5 mm (0.2 in) long. The very tip of the labellum does not have any hairs.
How it was Named
The wiry beard orchid, Calochilus caeruleus, was first officially described in 1946. A scientist named Louis Otho Williams wrote about it. He published his description in a scientific paper called Botanical Museum Leaflets. The plants he studied were found near Tarara, by the Wassi Kussa River in Papua New Guinea.
The second part of its scientific name, caeruleus, comes from a Latin word. This Latin word means "sky blue."
Where the Wiry Beard Orchid Lives
You can find the wiry beard orchid in several places. It grows in New Guinea and across northern Australia. In Australia, it lives in the Northern Territory, including Melville Island. It also grows in Tropical North Queensland, as far south as Cardwell.
This orchid likes to grow in wet areas. Its habitats include swamps, wet forests, heathlands, and woodlands.
