Arthrochilus aquilus

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Dark 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. aquilus
Binomial name
Arthrochilus aquilus

Arthrochilus aquilus, commonly known as the dark elbow orchid, [2] 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.

Contents

Description

Arthrochilus aquilus is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, sympodial herb with an underground tuber which produces daughter tubers on the end of root-like stolons. It has between two and five dark green leaves at its base, each leaf 20–50 mm (0.8–2 in) long and 7–14 mm (0.3–0.6 in) wide. Between three and fifteen insect-like flowers 9–13 mm (0.4–0.5 in) long are borne on a flowering stem 200–350 mm (8–10 in) tall. The dorsal sepal is 7–8.5 mm (0.28–0.33 in) long, about 1 mm (0.04 in) wide and the lateral sepals are 6–7.5 mm (0.24–0.30 in) long and 1–1.5 mm (0.04–0.06 in) wide. The petals are 6.5–7.5 mm (0.26–0.30 in) long and about 0.5 mm (0.02 in) wide. The petals and lateral sepals turn backwards against the ovary. The labellum is about 6 mm (0.2 in) long and 1 mm (0.04 in) on a stalk or "claw" 4 mm (0.2 in) long. The callus is about 2.5 mm (0.1 in) long with its central part crowded with many shiny, dark reddish 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 aquilus 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 (aquilus) is a Latin word meaning "dark coloured" or "blackish". [4]

Distribution and habitat

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

Ecology

As with other Arthrochilus orchids, A. aquilus 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]

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<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.

Caladenia colorata, commonly known as coloured spider-orchid, small western spider-orchid and painted spider-orchid is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to South Australia and possibly Victoria. It is a ground orchid with a single hairy leaf, and usually a single creamy-green flower with blood-red or purple-brown markings and with dark tips on the petals and sepals.

Genoplesium psammophilum is a small terrestrial orchid endemic to coastal and near-coastal areas in south-eastern Queensland. It has a single thin leaf fused to the flowering stem and up to thirty five small, dark red or brownish red flowers.

Chiloglottis sphyrnoides, commonly known as the forest wasp orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to north-eastern New South Wales and south-eastern Queensland. It has two dark green leaves and a single green or reddish pink flower with a shiny black, insect-like callus surrounded by red club-shaped calli on two-thirds of the base of the labellum.

Chiloglottis trullata, commonly known as the triangular orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Queensland. It has two dark green leaves and a single small, green or pinkish flower with a shiny, dark reddish black, insect-like callus surrounded by reddish club-shaped calli covering most of the upper surface of the labellum.

<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 oreophilus, commonly known as the untidy elbow orchid, 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.

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 aquilus". 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. p. 151. ISBN   1877069124.
  3. "Arthrochilus aquilus". APNI. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  4. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 98.
  5. "Arthrochilus". Australian National Botanic Garden. Retrieved 27 April 2018.