Corybas hypogaeus

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Corybas hypogaeus
Corybas hypogaeus in situ.jpg
Corybas hypogaeus in Nelson Lakes National Park
Status NZTCS NU.svg
Naturally Uncommon (NZ TCS) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Genus: Corybas
Species:
C. hypogaeus
Binomial name
Corybas hypogaeus
Synonyms [2]

Corybas hypogaeus is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to the New Zealand. [2] It is part of the C. trilobus aggregate, whose members are characterized by a funnel or dish-shaped labellum and an often heart or kidney-shaped solitary leaf. [1]

Contents

Description

Corybas hypogaeus is a terrestrial, perennial herb with a solitary reniform (kidney-shaped) to cordiform (heart-shaped) leaf born on a petiole 10–15 mm long. The petiole is white or pale pink with a sheathing bract at the base. The leaf is sometimes flecked with maroon; it is light green on the upper surface and silvery or silvery purple on the lower surface. It is trilobed at its tip, with its middle lobe ending in a sharp tip; the auricles at the base of the leaf are pronounced. The single flower is held on a short peduncle that is white to pale pink; it is accompanied by two floral bracts of unequal length, with the smaller bract pointing towards the leaf and the longer bract pointing away. The dorsal sepal is narrow at the base and broad towards the rounded tip; it is light green often with purple flecks running down the middle. It arches over the flower and is equal to the labellum in length or slightly longer. The lateral sepals are long and filiform (thread-like) and are white to pink. The petals are similar but shorter. The labellum is short and auriculate at the base. Its main portion is strongly cupped, and its tip is markedly laciniate (deeply jagged). It is green to nearly white, and its borders are maroon. Flowering occurs from August to September. The peduncle elongates greatly as the capsule ripens. [3]

Corybas hypogaeus can be distinguished from other members of the C. trilobus aggregate by its the diminutive flower, which is commonly buried in leaf litter, and its characteristically jagged, cupped labellum. [3] It is highly similar to the recently described species C. sanctigeorgianus , from which it can be distinguished by its labellum with a green-tinted center, rather than creamy white, and its dorsal sepal equal to the length to the labellum or slightly longer (rather than noticeably longer). Moreover, C. sanctigeorgianus is only known from select sites on the North Island. [1]

Taxonomy

Corybas hypogaeus was first described by William Colenso in 1884 under the name Corysanthes hypogaea. The specific epithet (hypogaea) is formed from the Greek prefix hypo-, meaning "below", and the word gaea, meaning "Earth", referring to the flowers that are often found buried in leaf litter. In 2002, Brian Molloy, David Jones, and Mark Clements transferred the species into the genus Nematoceras under the name Nematocerashypogaeum. However, in a 2014 dissertation that analyzed DNA markers from Corybas species occurring from the Himalayas to New Zealand, Stephanie Lyon indicated that Nematoceras and other genera that Molloy, Jones, and Clements had segregated ought to be returned to Corybas . The World Checklist of Selected Plant Families and the New Zealand Department of Conservation recognized these changes, but Nematoceras hypogaeum and two other Nematoceras species remained unplaced because they had no combination under Corybas and thus had not been transferred. Finally, in 2016, Carlos Lehnebach transferred the species to Corybas under its current name, Corybas hypogaeus. [4] [5] [3] [2]

Distribution and habitat

Corybas hypogaeus is endemic to New Zealand's North Island and South Island. In the North Island, it is known from the Hunua Ranges, Waikato, and Wairarapa. In the South Island it is known only from north-west Nelson. It grows in lowland to montane habitats in kānuka or southern beech-dominated forest and is usually found near the trunks of these trees or on the borders of swamps within the forest, half-buried in deep drifts of decaying leaves. The leaf of the plant is usually all that is exposed. [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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carlos Lehnebach</span> New Zealand botanist

Carlos Adolfo Lehnebach is a New Zealand botanist. He is employed as a botany curator at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. Lehnebach has a master's degree and a PhD from Massey University.

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

Corybas acuminatus, commonly known as the dancing spider orchid or helmet flower, 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.

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

Corybas barbarae, commonly known as fairy lanterns, is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to eastern Australia including Lord Howe Island. It has a single dark green or reddish green, heart-shaped leaf and a small sparkling white or pinkish flower with an inflated dorsal sepal obscuring its hairy 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 expansus, commonly known as the flared helmet orchid or dune helmet orchid is a species of terrestrial orchid that is 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.

<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.

<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.

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

Corybas unguiculatus, commonly known as the small helmet orchid or pelicans, is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a widespread, sometimes common but small orchid with a single leaf and a single reddish purple to reddish black flower.

<i>Corybas vitreus</i> Species of plant

Corybas vitreus is a species of orchid endemic to New Zealand, and first described in 2016 by Carlos Adolfo Lehnebach.

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

Corybas oblongus is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to New Zealand. It has a solitary oval-shaped leaf, often patterned with maroon, and a reddish-purple and white flower with a fimbriate labellum.

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

Corybas obscurus is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to New Zealand. It has a solitary heart-shaped leaf and a deep crimson or nearly black flower and is part of the Corybas trilobus aggregate.

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

Corybas trilobus is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to New Zealand. It is part of the C. trilobus aggregate, whose members are characterized by a funnel or dish-shaped labellum and an often heart or kidney-shaped solitary leaf.

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

Corybas sanctigeorgianus is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to the North Island of New Zealand. It is part of the C. trilobus aggregate, whose members are characterized by a funnel or dish-shaped labellum and an often heart or kidney-shaped solitary leaf.

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

Corybas hatchii is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to New Zealand. It has a solitary rounded leaf, often flecked with maroon, and a single pale green and maroon flower with long, threadlike lateral sepals and petals.

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

Corybas iridescens is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to the New Zealand. It has a solitary fleshy oval-shaped leaf and a single deep crimson flower, sometimes accompanied with green, with a tapering dorsal sepal.

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

Corybas papillosus is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to the New Zealand. It has a solitary rounded leaf with a heart-shaped base and a single flower with a long, slender green dorsal sepal, as well as a crimson and white labellum.

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

Corybas papa is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to the North Island of New Zealand. It has a solitary wedge-shaped leaf and single translucent green flower with a strongly deflexed labellum and slender, threadlike lateral sepals and petals.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Lehnebach, Carlos A.; Zeller, Andreas J.; Frericks, Jonathan; Ritchie, Peter (2016-08-12). "Five new species of Corybas (Diurideae, Orchidaceae) endemic to New Zealand and phylogeny of the Nematoceras clade". Phytotaxa. 270 (1): 1. doi: 10.11646/phytotaxa.270.1.1 . ISSN   1179-3163. S2CID   89063404.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Corybas hypogaeus". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Corybas hypogaeus". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
  4. ↑ Lehnebach, Carlos (2016). "New combinations and a replacement name for three New Zealand spider orchids (Corybas)" (PDF). The New Zealand Native Orchid Journal. 139: 4–5.
  5. ↑ "Flora of New Zealand | Taxon Profile | Corybas hypogaeus". www.nzflora.info. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
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