Sage orchid | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Order: | Asparagales |
Family: | Orchidaceae |
Subfamily: | Epidendroideae |
Genus: | Brachypeza |
Species: | B. archytas |
Binomial name | |
Brachypeza archytas | |
Synonyms [1] | |
Brachypeza archytas, commonly known as the sage orchid, [2] is an epiphytic orchid that is endemic to Christmas Island, an Australian territory in the north-eastern Indian Ocean. It has many cord-like roots, four or five leaves arranged like a fan and a large number of small, crowded, short-lived, white flowers.
Brachypeza archytas has short stems which are obscured by aerial roots. It has four or five strap-like leaves 100–220 mm (4–9 in) long, 16–25 mm (0.6–1 in) wide and arranged like the blades of a fan. A large number of crowded, short-lived, white flowers 8–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long and 6–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide are arranged on an arching flowering stem 150–350 mm (6–10 in) long. The dorsal sepal is about 8 mm (0.3 in) long and 2.5 mm (0.1 in) wide, the lateral sepals about 6 mm (0.2 in) long and 4 mm (0.2 in) wide. The petals are shorter and narrower than the sepals and the labellum is about 3 mm (0.1 in) long and 5 mm (0.2 in) wide with three lobes. The side lobes are round with purple markings. Flowering occurs from October to April but the flowers only last for one or two days and the buds often fall off without opening. [2] [3]
The sage orchid was first formally described in 1891 by Henry Nicholas Ridley who gave it the name Saccolabium archytas and published the description in the Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society . [4] [5] In 1972, Leslie Andrew Garay changed the name to Brachypeza archytas. [6] The specific epithet (archytas) is a reference to the Classical Greek philosopher Archytas. [3]
Brachypeza archytas is found only on Christmas Island where it is relatively common, especially in rainforest on the island's lower terraces where it is often found on the lower part of large tree trunks, such as those of Tristiropsis acutangula and Gyrocarpus americanus . [3]
Dendrobium wassellii, commonly known as the furrowed pencil orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to a small area on Cape York Peninsula. It is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid with branched stems, cylindrical, furrowed leaves and flowering stems with up to sixty crowded white flowers with a yellow labellum.
Sarcochilus fitzgeraldii, commonly known as the ravine orchid, is a lithophytic orchid endemic to eastern Australia. It forms large clumps with between four and eight dark green, linear leaves and up to fifteen white flowers with crimson spots near the centre.
Brachypeza, commonly known as sage orchids, is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Orchids in this genus have short stems with fleshy leaves and arching flowering stems with short-lived flowers. The sepals and petals are similar in size and shape and the labellum is pouch-like and suspended at the base of the flower. Sage orchids occur in tropical areas from Indochina to New Guinea.
Zeuxine exilis, commonly known as Ridley's jewel orchid or the slender jewel orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to Christmas Island where it grows in rainforest. It has three or four egg-shaped leaves and up to thirty small, dull reddish flowers crowded along a thin, hairy flowering stem. It was first recorded in 1904 but was not seen again until 2009.
Dendrobium nativitatis, commonly known as the Christmas Island crimp orchid, is a species of epiphytic orchid that is endemic to Christmas Island, an Australian territory in the north-eastern Indian Ocean. It has long, straggly stems, flattened pseudobulbs, a single leathery leaf and a single pale yellow flower.
Phreatia listeri, commonly known as the Christmas Island caterpillar orchid, is a plant in the orchid family and is an epiphyte with four to six flat, blunt leaves in a fan-like arrangement. A large number of tiny, greenish white flowers are arranged along a thin flowering stem. It is endemic to Christmas Island.
Diuris brevifolia, commonly known as the short-leaved donkey orchid, is a species of orchid which is endemic to South Australia. It has a few narrow, twisted leaves and a flowering stem with up to five bright yellow flowers with brown markings and relatively large, spreading lobes on the labellum. This is a relatively late-flowering species of donkey orchid.
Thelymitra aristata, commonly called the great sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single large, thick leaf and bracts and up to forty crowded blue or purplish flowers with darker veins.
Thelymitra hiemalis, commonly called the winter sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to Victoria. It is a winter flowering orchid with greenish sepals and blue or mauve petals with large, irregular, darker spots.
Thelymitra improcera, commonly called the coastal sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single erect, fleshy leaf and up to eight relatively small pale to bright blue flowers on a short flowering stem. The lobe on top of the anther is unusually short and lobed.
Dendrobium insigne, commonly known as the mangrove tartan orchid, is a species of epiphytic or lithophytic orchid native to New Guinea and Indonesia. It has crowded, cane-like stems with many leaves arranged in two vertical rows, and short-lived yellow and red flowers in groups of two or three.
Dendrobium litorale, commonly known as the coastal shaggy orchid, is an epiphytic orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It has a very short rhizome with crowded, slender stems with most of the leaves in the lower half. The leaves are flattened and pointed, the flowers small and pale greenish cream-coloured. It occurs on islands in the Torres Strait and in New Guinea.
Dendrobium rupicoloides, commonly known as the northern rock orchid, is a species of lithophytic orchid that is endemic to tropical North Queensland. It has tapered green to reddish pseudobulbs, up to three thick, leathery leaves and up to fifty white flowers with purple markings on the labellum.
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.
Pomatocalpa marsupiale, commonly known as the branched bladder orchid, is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid that forms large clumps. It has many thick roots, branched stems, many strap-like, leathery leaves and up to many upward-facing green flowers with a cream-coloured or yellowish labellum. It usually grows on high on rainforest trees and is found between Sulawesi and tropical North Queensland, Australia.
Robiquetia gracilistipes, commonly known as the large pouched orchid, is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid from the family Orchidaceae that forms large, hanging, straggly clumps. It has long, thick, roots, a single stem, many thick, leathery leaves and up to forty cream-coloured, pale green or brownish flowers with red spots and a three-lobed labellum. It grows on trees and rocks in rainforest, usually in bright light. It is found in Malesia including New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and tropical North Queensland, Australia.
Sarcochilus dilatatus, commonly known as the brown butterfly orchid, is a small epiphytic orchid endemic to eastern Australia. It has up to twelve, thin, leathery, dark green leaves and up to twelve brown or reddish brown flowers with a mostly white and yellow labellum.
Thrixspermum carinatifolium, commonly known as the Christmas Island hairseed, is an epiphytic orchid with flattened, straggly stems that form clumps with many branching aerial roots. It has flattened fleshy leaves arranged in two ranks along the stems and white or yellowish, widely opening flowers. This orchid occurs from Peninsular Malaysia to Christmas Island, an Australian territory.
Pholidota imbricata, commonly known as the common rattlesnake orchid or necklace orchid, is a plant in the orchid family and is a clump-forming epiphyte or lithophyte with crowded pseudobulbs. Each pseudobulb has a single pleated, leathery leaf and up to sixty white, cream-coloured or greenish, cup-shaped flowers in two ranks along a wiry flowering stem. There is a large, papery bract at the base of each flower. This species is native to areas from tropical and subtropical Asia to the southwest Pacific.
Thelasis capitata, commonly known as the conical fly orchid, is a plant in the orchid family. It is a clump-forming epiphyte with flattened pseudobulbs, each with a single strap-shaped leaf. A large number of small yellowish green flowers are arranged in a cone shape on a thin but stiff flowering stem. This orchid is found from Thailand to Malesia, including on Christmas Island.