Corybas acuminatus

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Dancing spider orchid
Corybas acuminatus.jpg
Corybas acuminatus on Mt. Maungatautari
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Genus: Corybas
Species:
C. acuminatus
Binomial name
Corybas acuminatus
Synonyms [1]

Corybas acuminatus, commonly known as the dancing spider orchid [2] or helmet flower, [3] is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to New Zealand. It has a triangular, sharply pointed leaf and a small translucent, greenish-white flower with purple markings and with very long sepals. It is found on both the main islands of New Zealand and also some of the off-shore islands.

Contents

Description

Corybas acuminatus is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with a single triangular to heart-shaped leaf up to 40 mm (2 in) long and 20 mm (0.8 in) wide with a sharply pointed tip. The leaf is light green on the upper surface and silvery with red veins on the lower side. A single more or less translucent flower with dull red striations arises directly above the leaf. The largest part of the flower is the dorsal sepal which is up to 40 mm (2 in) long with a long, horizontal, thread-like tip. The lateral sepals are erect, thread-like and are up to 60 mm (2 in) longer than the flower. The petals are similar to the lateral sepals although smaller and are held horizontally or turn downwards. The labellum is red and creamy green and has two rounded ear-like shapes near its base. Flowering occurs from August to December. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy

Corybas acuminatus was first formally described in 1991 by Mark Clements and Edwin Hatch from a specimen collected near Karekare and the description was published in the New Zealand Journal of Botany . [1] The specific epithet (acuminatus) is a Latin word meaning "pointed" or "sharpened", [5] referring to the shape of the leaf of this orchid. [4]

In 2002, David Jones and Mark Clements proposed splitting Corybas into smaller genera and placing this species into Nematoceras but the change has not been widely accepted. [6] [7]

Distribution and habitat

The dancing spider orchid grows in moist, shady forests. It occurs on the North, South, Stewart, Chatham and Auckland Islands. [2] [3] [4]

Conservation

Corybas acuminatus is classified as "not threatened" by the New Zealand Government Department of Conservation. [3]

Related Research Articles

<i>Corybas</i> (plant) Genus of orchids

Corybas, commonly known as helmet orchids, is a genus of about 120 species of plants in the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Helmet orchids are small, perennial, deciduous herbs and are nearly always terrestrial. They have a single leaf at their base and a single flower on a short stalk, the flower dominated by its large dorsal sepal and labellum. Species of Corybas are found in Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, Southeast Asia, the Himalayas, southern China, many Pacific islands and a few sub-Antarctic islands.

<i>Corybas aconitiflorus</i> Species of orchid

Corybas aconitiflorus, commonly known as the cradle orchid or spurred helmet orchid, is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to eastern Australia, occurring from south-east Queensland to Tasmania. The small flowers have a hooded appearance as the uppermost sepal hides most of the rest of the flower. It is the type species of the genus Corybas.

<i>Acianthus sinclairii</i> Species of flowering plant

Acianthus sinclairii, commonly known as pixie cap or heart-leaf orchid, is a flowering plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to New Zealand. It is a terrestrial herb with a single, heart-shaped leaf and up to ten translucent green flowers, usually tinged maroon.

<i>Pterostylis planulata</i>

Pterostylis planulata, commonly known as the flat rustyhood, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Victoria. It has a rosette of leaves at its base and up to seven translucent flowers with green stripes. The flowers have a thin, dark green, insect-like labellum.

Pterostylis cardiostigma is a species of orchid endemic to New Zealand. It has erect leaves, the upper leaves higher than the flower which is stiff, upright and green with narrow white stripes and pinkish tips. It barely opens fully and is sometimes mistaken for an unopened flower of Pterostylis banksii with which it often grows.

Pterostylis petrosa, commonly known as the Riverina rustyhood, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. It has a rosette of leaves at its base and up to eight dark brown flowers with transparent "windows", long spreading tips on the lateral sepals and a thin, brown, insect-like labellum.

Corybas abditus, commonly known as the swamp helmet orchid or small helmet orchid , is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to Western Australia. It is a rare orchid with a single bluish green, heart-shaped leaf and a small flower with an enlarged dorsal sepal and tube-shaped labellum.

<i>Corybas cheesemanii</i> Species of orchid

Corybas cheesemanii, commonly known as Cheesemans spider orchid or spurred helmet orchid, is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to New Zealand. It is a small orchid with a single pale green, heart-shaped leaf and usually only a single flower variously coloured from maroon to completely white. It usually grows in deep shade, often in deep leaf litter and flowers in autumn and winter.

<i>Corybas confusus</i> Species of orchid

Corybas confusus, commonly known as the spider orchid is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to New Zealand. It has a single heart-shaped leaf and a single dark green or light green flower with reddish maroon streaks and blotches and long, thread-like lateral sepals and petals. It grows in highland areas on both main islands.

Corybas cryptanthus, commonly known as the hidden spider orchid or icky, is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to New Zealand. It has no obvious leaves and the mostly white flower is usually buried in leaf litter. The plant is usually only detected by its fruiting capsule which is borne on a stem which elongates up to 280 mm (10 in) high.

Corybas dentatus, commonly known as the Lofty Ranges helmet orchid, is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to South Australia. It has a more or less round leaf and a single purplish and green flower. It is only known from two locations and is listed as "vulnerable" under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

<i>Corybas despectans</i> Species of orchid

Corybas despectans, commonly known as the tiny helmet orchid or sandhill helmet orchid is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to southern Australia. It has round or heart-shaped leaf and a tiny reddish purple flower. Unlike many others in the genus, the dorsal sepal does not cover the labellum. It is similar to C. incurvus but the flowers are smaller.

Corybas dowlingii, commonly known as red lanterns, is a rare species of terrestrial orchid endemic to New South Wales. It grows in colonies and has a round or heart-shaped leaf and a dark purplish red flower with white patches in the labellum.

Corybas expansus, commonly known as the flared helmet orchid, is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to South Australia. It has a heart-shaped to more or less round leaf and a single purplish flower with greenish or transparent areas. It is a vulnerable species, found in near-coastal sand and leaf litter.

Corybas fordhamii, commonly known as the banded helmet orchid or swamp helmet orchid, is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has an egg-shaped to heart-shaped leaf and a reddish to reddish purple flower which leans forward. It is similar to C. unguiculatis which does not grow in swamps and has a different labellum.

<i>Corybas incurvus</i> Species of orchid

Corybas incurvus, commonly known as the slaty helmet orchid, is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a broad egg-shaped to heart-shaped leaf and a dark purple flower with a white patch in the middle.

Corybas limpidus, commonly known as the crystal helmet orchid, is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to Western Australia. It has round or heart-shaped leaf and a translucent greenish flower with dark red or burgundy-coloured spots and blotches. The edges of the labellum have a few short, blunt teeth.

Corybas × miscellus, commonly known as the hybrid helmet orchid, is a hybrid species of terrestrial orchid endemic to South Australia and a very small area in far western Victoria. It has a heart-shaped to more or less round leaf and a single reddish purple flower with greyish translucent areas. It is a natural hybrid between C. diemenicus and C. incurvus and shares the characteristics of the parent species.

<i>Corybas recurvus</i> Species of orchid

Corybas recurvus, commonly known as the western helmet orchid or common helmet is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to Western Australia. It has round or heart-shaped leaf and a dark reddish purple or purplish black flower. It is widespread and common between Bunbury and Albany.

<i>Corybas undulatus</i> Species of orchid

Corybas undulatus, commonly known as tailed helmet orchid, is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to eastern Australia. It has a single leaf and a single translucent grey flower with reddish markings, and a labellum with a bristly surface, fine teeth on the edge and a small tail on the tip.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Corybas acuminatus". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  2. 1 2 3 "Corybas acuminatus". New Zealand Native Orchid Group. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 de Lange, Peter. "Corybas acuminatus". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 Clements, Mark A.; Hatch, Edwin D. (July 1985). "Corybas acuminatus (Orchidaceae) — a new name for the species previously considered to be Corybas rivularis". New Zealand Journal of Botany. 23 (3): 491–494. doi: 10.1080/0028825X.1985.10425349 .
  5. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 68.
  6. Jones, D.L. (2002), "Nomenclatural notes arising from studies into the tribe Diurideae (Orchidaceae)", Orchadian, 13: 436–468
  7. "Corybas acuminatus". APNI. Retrieved 4 May 2016.