Calochilus pulchellus

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Pretty beard orchid
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Subtribe: Thelymitrinae
Genus: Calochilus
Species:
C. pulchellus
Binomial name
Calochilus pulchellus

Calochilus pulchellus, commonly known as the pretty beard orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south coast of New South Wales. It has a single dark green leaf with a dark red base and up to five pale green to greenish yellow flowers with red striations and a labellum with a coppery red "beard". Fewer than thirty plants growing in three sites are known.

Contents

Description

Calochilus pulchellus is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single dark green, linear to lance-shaped leaf 100–180 mm (4–7 in) long and 4–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide with a dark red base. The leaf is fully developed at flowering time. Up to five pale green to greenish yellow flowers with red stripes are borne on a flowering stem 200–300 mm (8–10 in) tall. Individual flowers last for between two and four days. The dorsal sepal is broad elliptical, 13–16 mm (0.5–0.6 in) long and 8–9 mm (0.3–0.4 in) wide. The lateral sepals are a similar length but narrower and spread apart from each other. The petals are 8–9 mm (0.31–0.35 in) long, 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) wide, asymmetrically egg-shaped with a small upturned tip. The labellum is flat, 28–30 mm (1.1–1.2 in) long, 6–7 mm (0.24–0.28 in) wide, with short red calli near its base. The central part of the labellum is covered with coppery red hairs up to 6 mm (0.2 in) long and there is a glandular tip which is 12–17 mm (0.5–0.7 in) long. The column has two blackish "eyes" without a ridge between them. Flowering occurs from October to November but each flower only last between two and four days. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

Calochilus pulchellus was first formally described in 2006 by David Jones from a specimen collected in the Morton National Park and the description was published in Australian Orchid Research. [5] The specific epithet (pulchellus) is the diminutive form of the Latin word pulcher meaning "pretty", hence "pretty little", [6] referring to the flowers of this species. [2]

Distribution and habitat

The pretty beard orchid grows in low heath. It is only known from three sites in the Shoalhaven district. [2] [4]

Conservation

This orchid is listed as "endangered" under the New South Wales Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 . The main threat to the species is its small population size. [4]

Related Research Articles

<i>Calochilus robertsonii</i> species of plant

Calochilus robertsonii, commonly known as the purple beard orchid or purplish beard orchid, is a species of orchid native to Australia and New Zealand. It has a single dark green leaf and up to nine green to brown flowers with reddish or purplish stripes. The labellum has a glossy purple, mauve, or bronze-coloured beard with a ridge between the "eye" spots.

<i>Calochilus paludosus</i> species of plant

Calochilus paludosus, commonly known as the red beard orchid or red beardie, is a species of orchid native to Australia and New Zealand. It has a single fleshy, light green leaf and up to nine greenish flowers with reddish stripes. The labellum has a dull red or coppery coloured beard and lacks the "eye" spots of other beard orchids.

<i>Calochilus russeus</i> species of plant

Calochilus russeus, commonly known as the reddish beard orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales. It has a single thick, dark green leaf and up to twelve greenish flowers with red stripes and a hairy labellum which is the largest part of the flower. It is a rare orchid, growing as isolated individuals near Ebor.

<i>Calochilus stramenicola</i> species of plant

Calochilus stramenicola, commonly known as the wandoo beard orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Western Australia. It has a single smooth, erect leaf and up to seven dull greenish flowers with reddish brown or purplish stripes. The labellum has a purplish beard with a ridge between two "eye" spots.

<i>Calochilus therophilus</i> species of plant

Calochilus therophilus, commonly known as the late beard orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to eastern Australia. It has a single channelled, dark green leaf with a reddish base and up to fifteen dull greenish flowers with bold red stripes. The labellum has a dark purplish beard with two "eye" spots. Unlike that of other beard orchids, there is no prominent ridge between the eye spots.

<i>Calochilus montanus</i> species of plant

Calochilus therophilus, commonly known as the mountain beard orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. It has a single fleshy, channelled, dark green leaf and up to fifteen green flowers with reddish lines. The labellum has two shiny metallic blue to purple plates near its base and there is no ridge between the two "eyes" on the column.

<i>Calochilus caeruleus</i> species of plant

Calochilus caeruleus, commonly known as the wiry beard orchid, is a species of orchid native to northern Australia and New Guinea. It has a single leaf which continues to develop during flowering and up to twelve greenish flowers with reddish brown markings and a labellum with a red "beard".

<i>Calochilus campestris</i> species of plant

Calochilus campestris, commonly known as the copper beard orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single fleshy, channelled leaf and up to fifteen pale green and red flowers with a purple "beard".

Calochilus ammobius, commonly known as the sand beard orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Queensland. It has a single leaf which is not present during flowering and up to three dull green flowers with reddish brown streaks and a labellum with a purple "beard".

Calochilus caesius, commonly known as the blue beard orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the Northern Territory in Australia. It has a single leaf which is not present during flowering and up to five pale green, very short-lived flowers with a bluish-red "beard".

Calochilus gracillimus, commonly known as the slender beard orchid or late beard orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to eastern Australia. It has a single dark green leaf with a reddish base and up to nine green flowers with red stripes and a reddish, brownish or purplish "beard".

Calochilus grandiflorus, commonly known as the giant beard orchid or golden beard orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to eastern Australia. It has a single leaf with a reddish base and up to fifteen relatively large golden bronze-coloured flowers with a red or coppery red "beard".

Calochilus imperiosus, commonly known as the imperial beard orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to northern Australia. It has a single leaf and up to fifteen dull green flowers with red or purple markings and a labellum with a pinkish red "beard".

Calochilus metallicus, commonly known as the metallic beard orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Tropical Queensland. It has a single dark green leaf and up to four pale green flowers with a pinkish or reddish "beard" on the labellum.

Calochilus praealtus, commonly known as the lofty beard orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales. It has a single pale green leaf and up to six pale green flowers with faint red stripes and a labellum with a dark purple beard. It is only known from two mountainous areas.

Calochilus pruinosus, commonly known as the mallee beard orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to southern continental Australia. It has up to fifteen dull greenish, pinkish or brownish flowers with red lines and a labellum with a purplish "beard", but is leafless.

Calochilus psednus, commonly known as the Cardwell beard orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Queensland. It has up to three bluish green flowers with reddish brown lines and a labellum with a purplish "beard". The plant is leafless when flowering. It is only known from a small area near Cardwell.

Calochilus richae, commonly known as the bald-tip beard orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to a small area in Victoria. It is a rare species, discovered in 1928 but not seen again until 1968 and its numbers are in decline. It has a single dark green leaf and up to five reddish brown flowers with darker stripes and a labellum with short, spiky, purplish "hairs".

Calochilus sandrae, commonly known as the brownish beard orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the higher parts of southern New South Wales. It has a single greenish brown leaf with a reddish base and up to five brownish green flowers with red striations and a labellum with a brownish purple "beard".

Calochilus uliginosus, commonly known as the swamp beard orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Western Australia. It has a single dark green leaf with a reddish purple base and up to seven greenish to brownish flowers with red lines and a labellum with a reddish purple beard.

References

  1. "Calochilus pulchellus". 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. 261. ISBN   1877069124.
  3. Jones, David L. (2006). "New taxa of Australian Orchidaceae". Australian Orchid Research. 5: 68–69.
  4. 1 2 3 "Calochilus pulchellus - endangered species listing". New South Wales Government Office of Environment and Heritage. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  5. "Calochilus pulchellus". APNI. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  6. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 409.