Acianthus sinclairii

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Pixie caps
Acianthus sinclairii.png
In Kaimai Mamaku Conservation Park, New Zealand
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Genus: Acianthus
Species:
A. sinclairii
Binomial name
Acianthus sinclairii
Synonyms [1]

Acianthus fornicatus var. sinclairii(Hook.f.) Hatch

Contents

Acianthus sinclairii, commonly known as pixie cap or heart-leaf orchid, is a flowering plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to New Zealand. It is a terrestrial herb with a single, heart-shaped leaf and up to ten translucent green flowers, usually tinged maroon.

Description

Acianthus sinclairii is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, sympodial herb with a single heart-shaped, glabrous, dark green leaf which often has a maroon tinge or markings. The leaf is 10–30 mm (0.4–1 in) long, one-quarter to halfway up the slender stem, which is about 100 mm (4 in) long at flowering but increases later. [2] [3] [4]

There are up to ten flowers, 6–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long, green but with purple blotches and a dull red labellum. The dorsal sepal is broadly lance-shaped to egg-shaped and forms a hood over the column. The lateral sepals are similar in length to the dorsal sepal but have a pointed end and face forward beneath the labellum. The petals are somewhat shorter than the sepals, are lance-shaped and spread widely. The labellum is also shorter than the sepals, dished, broadly egg-shaped with the edges turned under, dull red with two rounded calli at its base. Flowering occurs between January and October. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

Acianthus sinclairii was first formally described in 1853 by Joseph Dalton Hooker and the description was published in The Botany of the Antarctic Voyage of H.M. Discovery Ships Erebus and Terror in the years 1839–1843, under the Command of Captain Sir James Clark Ross . [5] Hooker noted that this species is similar to Acianthus fornicatus "but differs in the lip [labellum] being less glandular". The specific epithet (sinclairii) honours Andrew Sinclair, a Scottish botanist and friend of Hooker. [6]

Distribution and habitat

This orchid usually grows in shaded shrubland and forest, only rarely in sunny habitat but often near streams or moist areas. It occurs on both the North Island and South Island as well as on Stewart and Chatham Islands and on Raoul Island in the Kermadec Group. [3]

Conservation

Acianthus sinclairii is common and classified as "not threatened". [2]

Related Research Articles

<i>Acianthus</i> Genus of flowering plants

Acianthus, commonly known as mosquito orchids, is a genus of about twelve species of plants in the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Mosquito orchids are terrestrial herbs with a single, heart-shaped, usually ground-hugging leaf and one to many small, green, pinkish or purplish flowers on a fleshy stalk. They are found in New Caledonia, Australia and New Zealand.

<i>Adenochilus</i> Genus of flowering plants

Adenochilus, commonly known as gnome orchids is a genus of two species of flowering plants in the orchid family Orchidaceae, one endemic to New Zealand and the other to Australia. Both species have a long, horizontal, underground rhizome with a single leaf on the flowering stem and a single resupinate flower with its dorsal sepal forming a hood over the labellum and column.

<i>Pterostylis trullifolia</i> Species of orchid

Pterostylis trullifolia, commonly known as the trowel-leaved greenhood, is an orchid species endemic to New Zealand. As with similar orchids, the flowering plants differ from those which are not flowering. The non-flowering plants have a rosette of wrinkled, trowel-shaped leaves but the flowering plants have a single flower with a bulging, platform-like sinus between the lateral sepals and leaves on the flowering spike.

<i>Caladenia alpina</i> Species of orchid

Caladenia alpina, commonly known as the mountain caladenia, is a species of plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is native to subalpine areas of south-eastern Australia and to New Zealand. It has a single fleshy leaf and a thin wiry flowering spike bearing two white flowers with red bars on the labellum. In New Zealand this orchid is sometimes known as Caladenia lyallii.

<i>Pterostylis foliata</i> Species of orchid

Pterostylis foliata, commonly known as the slender greenhood, is a species of orchid widespread in south-eastern Australia and New Zealand. Flowering plants have a rosette of three to six, dark green, crinkled leaves crowded around the flowering stem and a single dark green and brown flower with a deep V-shaped sinus between the lateral sepals.

<i>Pterostylis australis</i> Species of orchid

Pterostylis australis, commonly known as the southern greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to New Zealand. Unlike many other greenhood orchids, this species lacks a rosette of leaves but instead only has leaves on the flowering stem. The leaf's shape differs according to it position on the stem and there is a single green and white-striped flower. This greenhood occurs on both of the main islands of New Zealand and often forms large colonies.

<i>Pterostylis graminea</i> Species of orchid

Pterostylis graminea, commonly known as the grass-leaved greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to New Zealand. It has erect, grass-like leaves with the upper ones higher than the yellowish-green and transparent white flower.

Pterostylis puberula, commonly known as the dwarf greenhood or snail greenhood is a species of orchid which is endemic to New Zealand. It has a rosette of pale yellowish, stalked leaves and a single silvery-white and green flower with relatively long, erect lateral sepals.

<i>Prasophyllum colensoi</i> Species of orchid

Prasophyllum colensoi is a species of orchid endemic to New Zealand where it is commonly known as the leek orchid. It has a single tubular, dark green leaf and up to twenty scented, yellowish-green to reddish-brown flowers. It is similar to P. hectori, the only other species of Prasophyllum found in New Zealand, but is distinguished from it by its smaller size, fewer flowers and different habitat.

<i>Genoplesium nudum</i> Species of orchid

Genoplesium nudum, commonly known as the tiny midge orchid in Australia or the red midge orchid in New Zealand, is a small terrestrial orchid native to south-eastern Australia and New Zealand. It has a single thin leaf fused to the flowering stem and up to forty small, reddish-purple or green and red flowers. Australian and New Zealand authorities use the name Corunastylis nuda but Genoplesium nudum and Prasophyllum transversum are used by the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families.

<i>Genoplesium nudiscapum</i> Species of orchid

Genoplesium nudiscapum, commonly known as the bare midge orchid, is a species of small terrestrial orchid endemic to Tasmania. It has a single thin leaf fused to the flowering stem and up to twenty small, green and reddish-brown flowers. It was thought to be extinct, since it had not been seen since 1852 but was rediscovered in 2008. The species has also been described as occurring on continental Australia. The species is known as Corunastylis nudiscapa in Tasmania.

<i>Genoplesium despectans</i> Species of orchid

Genoplesium despectans, commonly known as the sharp midge orchid and known as Corunastylis despectans in Australia, is a small terrestrial orchid endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single thin leaf fused to the flowering stem and up to forty five small, dark purple or green and purple flowers.

<i>Genoplesium archeri</i> Species of orchid

Genoplesium archeri, commonly known as the elfin midge orchid and as Corunastylis archeri in Australia, is a small terrestrial orchid endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single thin leaf fused to the flowering stem and up to fifteen small, hairy, yellowish green flowers with purple stripes. It grows in a wide range of habitats in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania.

<i>Genoplesium pumilum</i> Species of orchid

Genoplesium pumilum, commonly known as the green midge orchid in Australia, and the yellow gumland leek orchid in New Zealand is a small terrestrial orchid native to south-eastern Australia and New Zealand. It has a single thin leaf fused to the flowering stem and up to twenty five green to yellowish-green flowers which sometimes have red markings. Australian and New Zealand authorities use the name Corunastylis pumila.

<i>Chiloglottis cornuta</i> Species of orchid

Chiloglottis cornuta, commonly known as the green bird orchid, is a species of orchid found in south-eastern Australia and in New Zealand, including many of its offshore islands. It has two broad leaves and a single green or pinkish flower with six to eight rounded, flattened green, reddish or blackish calli on the labellum.

Cyrtostylis oblonga, commonly known as the winter orchid or gnat orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to New Zealand. It has a single rounded leaf and a flowering stem with up to four pink or pinkish green flowers with a flat, oblong labellum.

Cyrtostylis rotundifolia, commonly known as the winter orchid or gnat orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to New Zealand. It has a single egg-shaped leaf and a flowering stem with up to four pink or pinkish green flowers with a flat, oblong labellum. It is very similar to Cyrtostylis oblonga and more investigation is required to determine if they are distinct from each other.

Townsonia viridis, commonly known as the beech orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Tasmania. It forms diffuse colonies with tiny, inconspicuous flowers and small, more or less round leaves and grows mainly in mossy places in myrtle beech forest.

<i>Corybas acuminatus</i> Species of orchid

Corybas acuminatus, commonly known as the dancing spider orchid or helmet flower, is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to New Zealand. It has a triangular, sharply pointed leaf and a small translucent, greenish-white flower with purple markings and with very long sepals. It is found on both the main islands of New Zealand and also some of the off-shore islands.

<i>Adenochilus gracilis</i> Species of flowering plant

Adenochilus gracilis is a species of plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to New Zealand. It has a long, thin underground rhizome, a single leaf on the flowering stem and a single white flower with glandular hairs on the outside. Its labellum has red to maroon bars and a central band of yellow calli, but is almost obscured by the dorsal sepal.

References

  1. 1 2 "Acianthus sinclairii". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 "Acianthus sinclairii". New Zealand Native Orchid Group. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 "Acianthus sinclairii". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
  4. 1 2 "Acianthus sinclairii". Flora of New Zealand. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
  5. "Acianthus sinclairii". International Plant Names Index (IPNI). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Harvard University Herbaria & Libraries; Australian National Botanic Gardens . Retrieved 18 June 2016.
  6. Hooker, Joseph Dalton (1853). The Botany of the Antarctic Voyage of H.M. Discovery Ships Erebus and Terror in the years 1839–1843, under the Command of Captain Sir James Clark Ross. London: Lovell Reeve. p. 245. Retrieved 18 June 2016.