Wispy elbow orchid | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Order: | Asparagales |
Family: | Orchidaceae |
Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
Tribe: | Diurideae |
Genus: | Arthrochilus |
Species: | A. prolixus |
Binomial name | |
Arthrochilus prolixus | |
Arthrochilus prolixus, commonly known as wispy elbow orchid, [2] 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 prolixus is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, sympodial herb with an underground tuber which produces daughter tubers on the end of root-like stolons. It has a rosette of between two and six linear to lance-shaped leaves on a side branch at its base, each leaf 40–70 mm (2–3 in) long and 7–15 mm (0.3–0.6 in) wide. Between three and twenty two pale green, insect-like flowers 10–16 mm (0.4–0.6 in) long are borne on a flowering stem 80–200 mm (3–8 in) tall. The dorsal sepal is linear, 9–10 mm (0.35–0.39 in) long, about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide and partly wrapped around the base of the column. The lateral sepals are lance-shaped, 6–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long, about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide. The petals are linear, about 7 mm (0.3 in) long and 1 mm (0.04 in) wide. The lateral sepals and petals are turned back against the ovary. The labellum is about 6 mm (0.2 in) long, 1 mm (0.04 in) wide on a stalk or "claw" about 4 mm (0.2 in) long. There is an insect-like callus about 3.5 mm (0.1 in) long with dark reddish brown, hair-like glands in a central band. The tip of the callus is about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide with shiny black glands. The column is light green to whitish with purplish spots, strongly curved, with two pairs of curved wings. Flowering occurs from December to February. [2] [3] [4] [5]
Arthrochilus prolixus was first formally described in 1991 by David Jones from a specimen collected near Wauchope. The description was published in Australian Orchid Research. [6] The specific epithet (prolixus) is a Latin word meaning "stretched out long", [7] referring to the long labellum calli. [3]
The wispy elbow orchid grows with grass and shrubs in forest between Manly in New South Wales and south-eastern Queensland. The largest population is in the Bulahdelah district. One colony has established itself in rotting sawdust at a sawmill. [2] [3] [4]
As with other Arthrochilus orchids, A. prolixus 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. [8]
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.
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.
Prasophyllum tortilis is a species of orchid endemic to South Australia. It has a single tube-shaped leaf and up to ten purplish-brown and green flowers with a purple labellum. It is a recently described plant, previously included with P. fitzgeraldii, but distinguished from that species by its smaller number of smaller, more darkly coloured, short-lived flowers. It also resembles P. goldsackii but has fleshier flowers than that species.
Prasophyllum helophilum is a species of orchid endemic to New South Wales. It has a single tubular green leaf and up to twenty five purplish white and brown flowers. It grows in wet, swampy places on the central tablelands.
Genoplesium sigmoideum, commonly known as the Dave's Creek midge orchid, is a species of small terrestrial orchid that is endemic to a small area in the Lamington National Park in Queensland. It has a single thin leaf fused to the flowering stem and up to twenty dark red flowers with a hairy labellum. The species is treated as Corunastylis sigmoidea in Queensland.
Genoplesium turfosum, commonly known as the alpine midge orchid, is a small terrestrial orchid endemic to a small area in the higher parts of New South Wales. It has a single thin leaf fused to the flowering stem and up to twenty five dark purplish-red, crowded flowers with a sparsely hairy 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.
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 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 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.