kids encyclopedia robot

Yosemite bog orchid facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Yosemite bog orchid
Platanthera yosemitensis.jpg
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Genus: Platanthera
Species:
P. yosemitensis
Binomial name
Platanthera yosemitensis
Colwell, Sheviak and P.Moore
Script error: The function "autoWithCaption" does not exist.
Synonyms

Limnorchis yosemitensis (Colwell, Sheviak & P.E.Moore) P.M.Br., S.L.Stewart & Gamarra

Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".

The Yosemite bog orchid (Platanthera yosemitensis) is a special type of orchid. It grows only in a few wet meadows within Yosemite National Park in California. This makes it an endemic species, meaning it's found nowhere else in the world!

About the Yosemite Bog Orchid

Even though people found this orchid way back in 1923, scientists didn't realize it was a unique species until 2007. It was then officially named and described.

Where It Lives

This unique orchid lives in nine specific wet mountain meadows. These meadows are located between the main part of the Merced River and its South Fork, all inside Yosemite National Park. It likes to grow high up in the mountains, between 1,800 and 2,700 meters (about 5,900 to 8,900 feet) above sea level.

What It Looks Like

The Yosemite bog orchid has small, yellow flowers. Each flower is less than 8 millimeters (about 0.3 inches) wide.

Its Special Smell

One interesting thing about this orchid is its smell. It has a strong odor that many people find unpleasant. Some have described it as smelling like a horse stable, strong cheese, or even sweaty clothes. This unique smell might help attract certain insects for pollination.

Black History Month on Kiddle
African-American activists you should know
Audre Lorde
John Berry Meachum
Ferdinand Lee Barnett
kids search engine
Yosemite bog orchid Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.