Arthrochilus apectus

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Untidy elbow orchid
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Genus: Arthrochilus
Species:
A. apectus
Binomial name
Arthrochilus apectus

Arthrochilus oreophilus, commonly known as the untidy elbow orchid, [2] is a flowering plant in the orchid family (Orchidaceae) and is endemic to near the tip of Cape York in Queensland. It has two or three leaves at its base and up to seven pale green, insect-like flowers with reddish glands on its labellum.

Contents

Description

Arthrochilus apectus is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, sympodial herb with an underground tuber which produces daughter tubers on the end of root-like stolons. It has two or three leaves at its base, each leaf 20–50 mm (0.8–2 in) long and 4–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) wide. Between three and seven insect-like flowers 9–11 mm (0.35–0.43 in) long are borne on a flowering stem 180–260 mm (7–10 in) tall. The dorsal sepal is 9–11 mm (0.35–0.43 in) long, about 1.5 mm (0.06 in) wide and the lateral sepals are 7–8.5 mm (0.28–0.33 in) long and about 1.5 mm (0.06 in) wide. The petals are 8–9 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long, about 0.5 mm (0.02 in) wide. The petals and lateral sepals turn backwards against the ovary. The labellum has a purple base and is about 3.5 mm (0.1 in) long, 1 mm (0.04 in) on a stalk or "claw" 3.5 mm (0.1 in) long. The callus is about 3.5 mm (0.1 in) long with its central part covered with many tiny, shiny, hair-like glands and the tip is about 1 mm (0.04 in) wide with shiny black glands. Flowering occurs from November to February. [2]

Taxonomy and naming

Arthrochilus apectus was first formally described in 2004 by David Jones from a specimen collected in the Heathlands Reserve near the tip of Cape York. The description was published in The Orchadian. [3] The specific epithet (apectus) is from the Ancient Greek word apektos meaning "uncombed" or "unkempt". [4]

Distribution and habitat

The untidy elbow orchid grows in forest on the northern part of the Cape York Peninsula. [2]

Ecology

As with other Arthrochilus orchids, A. apectus is pollinated by male thynnid wasps of the genus Arthrothynnus although the species involved is not known. It also reproduces asexually by producing new tubers. [5]

Related Research Articles

<i>Pterostylis stenochila</i>

Pterostylis stenochila, commonly known as the narrow-lip leafy greenhood, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Tasmania. Flowering plants have up to seven shiny, transparent green flowers with darker green stripes. The flowers have an insect-like labellum which is green with an emerald green stripe along its centre. Non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves on a stalk, but flowering plants lack the rosette, instead having five or six stem leaves.

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

Arthrochilus, commonly called elbow orchids, is a genus of about fifteen species of flowering plants from the orchid family (Orchidaceae) and is found in Australia and New Guinea. The flowers are pollinated by male thynnid wasps which attempt to mate with the flower and are held in place by hooks while the pollinium is transferred between insect and flower.

<i>Arthrochilus latipes</i> Species of flowering plant

Arthrochilus latipes, commonly known as robust elbow orchid, is a flowering plant in the orchid family (Orchidaceae) and is endemic to the "Top End" of the Northern Territory in Australia. Each plant has from two to four ground-hugging leaves and between three and fifteen flowers during the wet season and the species often forms spreading colonies on sandstone escarpments. Like others in the genus, the flowers are pollinated by a species of thynnid wasp.

<i>Pterostylis hamata</i>

Pterostylis hamata, commonly known as the southern hooked rustyhood, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It has a rosette of leaves and between two and twelve transparent flowers with green and brown markings, a thick, brown, insect-like labellum and dished lateral sepals.

<i>Pterostylis calceolus</i>

Pterostylis calceolus, commonly known as the Bungonia rustyhood, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. It has a rosette of overlapping leaves and between two and seven reddish-brown flowers with transparent "windows" and a fleshy brown, insect-like labellum. It is only known from near Bungonia.

Pterostylis excelsa, commonly known as the tall rustyhood, or dry land green-hood is a flowering plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to South Australia. It has a rosette of leaves and when flowering, up to twenty green or brown flowers which lean forward and have a thick, fleshy, partly hairy, insect-like labellum.

<i>Genoplesium apostasioides</i>

Genoplesium apostasioides, commonly known as the freak midge orchid, is a small terrestrial orchid endemic to New South Wales. It has a single thin leaf fused to the flowering stem and up to fifteen small, yellowish green flowers with a reddish labellum. The flowers do not open widely and are self-pollinating. It grows in heath and shallow moss gardens on rock ledges from the Blue Mountains to Nerriga.

<i>Arthrochilus huntianus</i> Species of flowering plant

Arthrochilus huntianus, commonly known as common elbow orchid, is a flowering plant in the orchid family (Orchidaceae) and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has no leaves but an insect-like flower which has its labellum dangling like a lure away from the rest of the flower. Because of its thin, wiry stem and small, dull-coloured flowers, this orchid is difficult to locate. Like others in the genus, the flowers are pollinated by a species of thynnid wasp. Some authorities use the name Thynninorchis huntiana for this orchid.

Arthrochilus oreophilus, commonly known as montane elbow orchid, is a flowering plant in the orchid family (Orchidaceae) and is endemic to higher places in far north Queensland. It has a rosette of leaves at its base and up to fifteen green, insect-like flowers with dark reddish brown glands on its labellum.

Arthrochilus aquilus, commonly known as the dark elbow orchid, is a flowering plant in the orchid family (Orchidaceae) and is endemic to the northern part of Cape York in Queensland. It has up to five dark green leaves at its base and up to fifteen pale green, insect-like flowers with dark reddish black glands on its labellum.

Arthrochilus byrnesii, commonly known as the sandstone truffle orchid, is a rare species of flowering plant in the orchid family (Orchidaceae) and is endemic to the far north-west of Australia. It has three dark green leaves at its base and up to fifteen greenish, insect-like flowers with dark reddish black glands on its labellum. This species is known by some authorities as Phoringopsis byrnesii.

Arthrochilus corinnae, commonly known as the swamp elbow orchid, is a flowering plant in the orchid family (Orchidaceae) and is endemic to the northern part of Cape York in Queensland. It has two or three dull bluish green leaves near its base and up to twelve pale green, insect-like flowers with shiny yellowish glands on its labellum.

Arthrochilus dockrillii, commonly known as the green truffle orchid, is a species of flowering plant in the orchid family (Orchidaceae) and is endemic to Tropical North Queensland. It has one or two dark green leaves at its base and up to twenty five greenish, insect-like flowers with red glands on its labellum. This species is known by some authorities as Phoringopsis dockrillii. There is a single record of this species from Papua New Guinea.

Arthrochilus irritabilis, commonly known as clubbed elbow orchid, is a flowering plant in the orchid family (Orchidaceae) and is endemic to Queensland. It has up to five leaves and up to thirty light greenish or reddish, insect-like flower with reddish, hair-like glands on its labellum. There is a single record of this species from Papua New Guinea.

Arthrochilus laevicallus is a species of flowering plant in the orchid family (Orchidaceae) and is endemic to Papua New Guinea. It is leafless but has up to seven green, insect-like flowers with dark reddish glands on its labellum.

Arthrochilus lavarackianus, commonly known as the glaucous truffle orchid, is a species of flowering plant in the orchid family (Orchidaceae) and is endemic to the Torres Strait and Tropical North Queensland. It has one or two bluish green leaves at its base and up to fifteen greenish, insect-like flowers with red glands on its mushroom-like labellum. This species is known by some authorities as Phoringopsis lavarackiana.

Arthrochilus prolixus, commonly known as wispy elbow orchid, is a flowering plant in the orchid family (Orchidaceae) and is endemic to eastern Australia. It has a rosette of bluish green leaves at its base and up to twenty two pale green, insect-like flowers with dark reddish to purplish glands on its labellum.

Arthrochilus rosulatus, commonly known as rosetted elbow orchid, is a flowering plant in the orchid family (Orchidaceae) and is endemic to Tropical North Queensland. It has a rosette of bluish green leaves surrounding its base and up to fifteen pale green, insect-like flowers with dark red glands on its labellum.

Arthrochilus sabulosus, commonly known as the spotted elbow orchid, is a flowering plant in the orchid family (Orchidaceae) and is endemic to Tropical North Queensland and Horn Island. It has a rosette of dull green leaves on side growth at its base and up to fifteen pale green, insect-like flowers with reddish to brownish glands on its labellum.

Arthrochilus stenophyllus, commonly known as the narrow-leaved elbow orchid, is a flowering plant in the orchid family (Orchidaceae) and is endemic to Tropical North Queensland. It has a rosette of dull green leaves on side growth at its base and up to fifteen pale green, insect-like flowers with dark red to brownish glands on its labellum.

References

  1. "Arthrochilus oreophilus". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  2. 1 2 3 Jones, David L. (2006). A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. pp. 150–151. ISBN   1877069124.
  3. "Arthrochilus apectus". APNI. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  4. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 228.
  5. "Arthrochilus". Australian National Botanic Garden. Retrieved 26 April 2018.