Cryptostylis subulata

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Large tongue orchid
Ground Orchid wallaroo2.JPG
Cryptostylis subulata in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Genus: Cryptostylis
Species:
C. subulata
Binomial name
Cryptostylis subulata
Synonyms [2]

Cryptostylis subulata, commonly known as the large tongue orchid, duckbill orchid or cow orchid, [3] is a common and widespread orchid in south eastern Australia and New Zealand. It has relatively large, leathery, dark green to yellowish-green leaves and up to twenty yellowish flowers with a reddish-brown and dark purple labellum. It is often found in damp or swampy situations but also occurs in drier places.

Contents

Description

Cryptostylis subulata is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with leathery, dark green to yellowish-green leaves which sit on petioles that are anywhere from 1 to 15 cm (0.5 to 6 in) long. The leaves are lance-shaped and measure 5–20 cm (2–8 in) long and 1–3 cm (0.5–1 in) across. The inflorescences (flower spikes) appear from August to April and bear two to twenty individual flowers on a flowering stem which is 50–80 cm (19.5–31.5 in) tall. Each flower has three green sepals which are 1.8 to 3 cm (0.71 to 1.18 in) long, and two petals which are 1.0 to 1.3 cm (0.39 to 0.51 in) long and narrower than the sepals. The labellum is a rolled reddish brown, purplish or yellowish tube-like structure measuring 1.5–3.5 cm (0.59–1.38 in) long by 0.5–1 cm (0.20–0.39 in) across. There is a dark purple callus ending in two knobs on the lower side of the labellum. [4] [5] [6]

Taxonomy and naming

The large tongue orchid was first formally described in 1806 by Jacques Labillardière from a specimen collected in Tasmania. Labillardière gave it the name Malaxis subulata and published the description in Novae Hollandiae Plantarum Specimen . [7] [8] In 1871 H.G. Reichenbach changed the name to Cryptostylis subulata. [1] The specific epithet (subulata) is derived from the Latin word subula meaning "awl". [6] [9]

Distribution and habitat

It is tolerant of a range of soils, from well-drained sandy heathland to swampy depressed areas, [10] as well as dry eucalypt forest. It occurs mostly in coastal districts of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania, although it is also found in the Blue Mountains. [5] In New Zealand it is only known from swamps north of Kaitaia and Taipa-Mangonui. [6]

Ecology

Like other Australian members of its genus, it is pollinated by the ichneumon wasp known as the orchid dupe wasp ( Lissopimpla excelsa ), the males of which mistake the flower parts for female wasps and copulate with it. [11]

Use in horticulture

Cryptostylis subulata has been successfully grown by orchid enthusiasts, but is slow growing. The rhizomes are delicate and resent disturbance, and need to be moist at all times. [10]

Related Research Articles

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Sarcochilus falcatus, commonly known as the orange blossom orchid, is a small epiphytic or lithophytic orchid that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has up to eight, leathery leaves with fine teeth on the edges and up to twelve white to cream-coloured flowers with a white labellum that has orange and purple markings.

<i>Cryptostylis</i> Species of orchid

Cryptostylis, commonly known as tongue orchids, is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family. Tongue orchids are terrestrial herbs with one to a few stalked leaves at the base of the flowering stem, or leafless. One to a few dull coloured flowers are borne on an erect flowering stem. The most conspicuous part of the flower is the labellum, compared to the much reduced sepals and petals. At least some species are pollinated by wasps when they attempt to mate with the flower. There are about twenty five species found in South Asia, Southeast Asia and the South Pacific.

<i>Lyperanthus</i> Genus of orchids

Lyperanthus, commonly known as beak orchids, is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae, that is endemic to Australia. There are two species, one in Western Australia and the other in four eastern Australian states, distinguished by their single long, narrow, leathery leaf and dull coloured flowers which have prominent short calli on their labellum. Both form loose colonies which reproduce asexually from their tubers, and sexually using their flowers.

<i>Cryptostylis hunteriana</i> Species of orchid

Cryptostylis hunteriana, commonly known as the leafless tongue-orchid is a flowering plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to south eastern Australia. It is leafless but has up to ten green flowers with a more or less erect, dark reddish brown labellum.

<i>Cryptostylis erecta</i> Species of orchid

Cryptostylis erecta, commonly known as the bonnet orchid or tartan tongue orchid , is an orchid endemic to south eastern Australia. A small and common plant, it has dark green lance-shaped to egg-shaped leaves and up to twelve greenish flowers with a large, bonnet-like or hood-like, lilac-coloured labellum with a network of purple veins.

<i>Orthoceras strictum</i> Species of orchid

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<i>Persoonia juniperina</i> Species of flowering plant

Persoonia juniperina, commonly known as prickly geebung, is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a small erect to low-lying shrub with smooth bark, hairy new branches, linear leaves, yellow flowers borne singly or in groups of up to forty in leaf axils, and yellowish green to purplish fruit.

<i>Caladenia dilatata</i> Species of orchid

Caladenia dilatata, commonly known as the green-comb spider-orchid and as koolin by Aboriginal people of the Coranderrk area, is species of flowering plant in the family Orchidaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single leaf and a single yellowish-green flower with reddish stripes and occurs in Victoria South Australia and Tasmania. It is similar to C. necrophylla which occurs in south-east South Australia and to C. concinna from southern New South Wales.

<i>Lyperanthus suaveolens</i> Species of orchid

Lyperanthus suaveolens, commonly called brown beaks, is a species of orchid that is endemic to the eastern states of Australia.

<i>Caleana major</i> Species of flowering plant

Caleana major, commonly known as the large duck orchid, is a small orchid found in eastern and southern Australia. This terrestrial plant features a remarkable flower, resembling a duck in flight. The flower is an attractant to insects, such as male sawflies which pollinate the flower in a process known as pseudocopulation. In 1986 this orchid was featured on an Australian postage stamp.

<i>Eriochilus cucullatus</i> Species of orchid

Eriochilus cucullatus, commonly known as parson's bands, or leafless parson's bands, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a common and widespread, slender ground orchid with a single leaf and up to five small white to pale pink flowers. It grows in all Australian states except Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

Pterostylis alata, commonly known as the striped greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to Tasmania. As with similar orchids, the flowering plants differ from those which are not flowering. The non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves but the flowering plants have a single flower with leaves on the flowering spike. This greenhood has a white flower with prominent dark green stripes and a sharply pointed, brown-tipped dorsal sepal. Similar greenhoods growing on the Australian mainland were formerly known as Pterostylis alata but are now given the name Pterostylis striata.

<i>Chiloglottis diphylla</i> Species of orchid

Chiloglottis diphylla, commonly known as the common wasp orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Australia. It has two broad leaves and a single narrow, greenish brown to reddish flower with a black, insect-like callus covering the upper surface of the labellum.

<i>Chiloglottis reflexa</i> Species of orchid

Chiloglottis reflexa, commonly known as the short-clubbed wasp orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-eastern Australia. It has two broad leaves and a single greenish-bronze or purplish flower with an ant-like callus covering most of the top of the labellum.

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.

<i>Cryptostylis leptochila</i> Species of orchid

Cryptostylis leptochila, commonly known as the small tongue orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has one to a few broad leaves and up to fifteen green flowers with a dark red labellum that has a black stripe and rows of black dots either side of the stripe. As with others in the genus, it is pollinated by male ichneumon wasps.

<i>Cryptostylis ovata</i> Species of orchid

Cryptostylis ovata, commonly known as the slipper orchid or western tongue orchid, is an orchid endemic to Western Australia. It is a common, summer flowering species with dark green leaves with a white central vein and up to fifteen pale greenish flowers with a brownish red labellum with a network of darker veins.

<i>Pultenaea dentata</i> Species of legume

Pultenaea dentata, commonly known as clustered bush-pea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is an erect to low-lying or prostrate, open shrub with elliptic to narrow egg-shaped leaves and dense clusters of yellow, red and purple flowers.

<i>Sphaerolobium minus</i> Species of flowering plant

Sphaerolobium minus, commonly known as globe-pea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is an erect, rush-like, mostly leafless shrub with yellow and reddish flowers arranged in small groups along the stems.

<i>Epacris myrtifolia</i> Species of flowering plant

Epacris myrtifolia is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to Tasmania. It is an erect shrub that typically grows to a height of 15–50 cm (5.9–19.7 in). Its leaves are thick, crowded, egg-shaped with a small, blunt point on the tip, and 4.2–8.5 mm (0.17–0.33 in) long. The flowers are arranged singly in a few upper leaf axils with many leathery bracts at the base. The sepals are leathery, about 4.2 mm (0.17 in) long, the petal tube slightly shorter than the sepals with lobes about the same length, the anthers protruding slightly from the petal tube.

References

  1. 1 2 "Cryptostylis subulata". APNI. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  2. "Cryptostylis subulata". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  3. Les Robinson - Field Guide to the Native Plants of Sydney, ISBN   978-0-7318-1211-0 page 245
  4. Jones, David L. (2006). A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. p. 269. ISBN   1877069124.
  5. 1 2 Peter H. Weston. "New South Wales Flora Online: Cryptostylis subulata". Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney, Australia.
  6. 1 2 3 "Cryptostylis subulata". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  7. "Malaxis subulata". APNI. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  8. Labillardière, Jacques (1806). Novae Hollandiae Plantarum Specimen. Vol. 2. Paris. p. 62. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  9. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 113.
  10. 1 2 Pridgeon, Alec M.; Cribb, P.J.; Chase, M.A.; Rasmussen, F., eds. (2001). Genera Orchidacearum 2. Oxford University Press. ISBN   0-19-850710-0 . Retrieved 22 November 2010.
  11. Robert L. Dressler (1993). Phylogeny and classification of the orchid family. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. p. 134. ISBN   0-521-45058-6 . Retrieved 22 November 2010.