Arthrochilus irritabilis

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Clubbed elbow orchid
Drakaea irritabilis.jpg
Illustration of Drakaea irritabilis from Nathaniel Wallich's Plantae Asiaticae Rariores
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. irritabilis
Binomial name
Arthrochilus irritabilis
Synonyms [1]
  • Drakaea huntianaF.Muell.
  • Drakaea irritabilis(F.Muell.) Rchb.f.
  • Spiculaea irritabilis(F.Muell.) Schltr.

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.

Contents

Description

Arthrochilus irritabilis 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 three and five narrow lance-shaped, bluish green leaves 30–80 mm (1–3 in) long and 8–14 mm (0.3–0.6 in) wide on side growth at the base of the flowering stem. Between five and thirty light greenish or reddish insect-like flowers, 10–14 mm (0.4–0.6 in) long are borne on a thin, wiry, green to reddish flowering stem 120–350 mm (5–10 in) tall. The dorsal is 8–11 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long, about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide, folded lengthwise near the tip and directed more or less downwards. The lateral sepals are oblong, curved, 5–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and about 1 mm (0.04 in) wide. The petals are linear, 5–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and about 1 mm (0.04 in) wide. The lateral sepals and petals all turn downwards towards the ovary. The labellum is about 5 mm (0.2 in) long, 1 mm (0.04 in) wide with a reddish base. The labellum callus is insect-like, about 2.5 mm (0.1 in) long with its central area crowded with hair-like, reddish or purplish glands. The tip of the callus is about 1 mm (0.04 in) long and covered with shiny, blackish glands. The column is curved, 7–8 mm (0.28–0.31 in) long with two pairs of curved triangular wings. Flowering occurs from November to February. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

Arthrochilus irritabilis was first formally described in 1858 by Ferdinand von Mueller and the description was published in Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae from a specimen collected "from wooded hills near Moreton Bay". [5] [6] The specific epithet (irritabilis) is a Latin word meaning "easily excited". [7]

Distribution and habitat

The clubbed elbow orchid grows in woodland, forest and heath, sometimes forming large colonies. It is widespread and common between Ingham and Brisbane. [2] [3] There is a single record from Papua New Guinea. [4]

Ecology

As with other Arthrochilus orchids, A. irritabilis is pollinated by males thynnid wasps of the genus Arthrothynnus although the species involved is not known. It also reproduces asexually by producing new tubers. [8]

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

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<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 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.

<i>Liparis habenarina</i> Species of orchid

Liparis habenarina, commonly known as the common sphinx orchid or common hobgoblin orchid, is a plant in the orchid family and is endemic to Australia. It is a deciduous, terrestrial orchid with two or three egg-shaped leaves and between eight and twenty-two brownish to purplish flowers with their lateral sepals joined at the base. It grows in the understorey of near-coastal forests.

<i>Plectorrhiza brevilabris</i> Species of orchid

Plectorrhiza brevilabris, commonly known as the small tangle orchid, is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid endemic to Australia. It has many coarse, wiry roots, between three and nine bright green leaves and up to twenty green, star-shaped flowers with reddish brown markings and a white patch on the labellum. It grows in rainforest on trees, shrubs and occasionally on rocks and occurs on the near coastal ranges of eastern Queensland.

<i>Pomatocalpa macphersonii</i> Species of orchid

Pomatocalpa macphersonii, commonly known as the blotched bladder orchid, is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid with thick, cord-like roots, between two and eight dark green, leathery leaves and up to thirty cup-shaped, yellow flowers with red blotches and a white labellum with red blotches. It usually grows on rainforest trees and is found in New Guinea and tropical North Queensland, Australia.

References

  1. 1 2 "Arthrochilus irritabilis". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  2. 1 2 Jones, David L. (2006). A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. p. 159. ISBN   1877069124.
  3. 1 2 "Arthrochilus irritabilis". Australian Tropical Rainforest Orchids. Retrieved 28 April 2018.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  4. 1 2 "Arthrochilus irritabilis". Orchids of New Guinea. Retrieved 28 April 2018.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  5. "Arthrochilus irritabilis". APNI. Retrieved 28 April 2018.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  6. von Mueller, Ferdinand (1858). Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae. Melbourne: Government Printer. p. 42. Retrieved 28 April 2018.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  7. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 103.
  8. "Arthrochilus". Australian National Botanic Garden. Retrieved 26 April 2018.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)