Diuris aequalis

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Buttercup doubletail
Diuris aequalis (4148996458).jpg
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: Diuris
Species:
D. aequalis
Binomial name
Diuris aequalis
Synonyms [2]

Diuris maculata var. concolorBenth.

Diuris aequalis, commonly called the buttercup doubletail, [3] is a species of orchid which is endemic to New South Wales. It has two rolled leaves and spikes of two to five golden-yellow to orange flowers and is currently listed as "Endangered".

Contents

Description

Diuris aequalis is a tuberous, perennial herb, usually growing to a height of 20–45 cm (8–20 in). There are two linear leaves arising from the base of the plant, each leaf 10–20 cm (4–8 in) long, 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide and rolled so that the sides of the leaf face each other. There are between two and five golden-yellow to orange flowers arranged on a raceme, usually without spots, each about 25 mm (1 in) wide. The dorsal sepal is broadly egg-shaped to almost circular, 7–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long, 8–15 mm (0.3–0.6 in) wide above the flower. The lateral sepals are linear to lance-shaped, 8–13 mm (0.3–0.5 in) long, 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) wide, sickle-shaped and green. The petals are erect, ear-like above the flower, 6–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long and 4–6 mm (0.2–0.2 in) wide. The labellum is 5–9 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long, 2.5–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide and has three lobes, the medial lobe ridged in its centre and has two broad calli about 3.5 mm (0.1 in) long. Flowering occurs between October and December, following which the leaves die back to be replaced prior to the next flowering. [3] [4]

D. aequalis flower labelled Diuris aequalis (labelled).jpg
D. aequalis flower labelled

Taxonomy and naming

Diuris aequalis was first formally described in 1876 by Robert D. FitzGerald in his book Australian Orchids from an unpublished description by Ferdinand von Mueller. [5] [6] The specific epithet (aequalis) is a Latin word meaning "like", "same" or "uniform". [7]

Distribution and habitat

Buttercup doubletail orchid occurs on the ranges and tablelands of New South Wales between Braidwood and the Kanangra-Boyd National Park where it grows in forest and low open woodland with a grassy understory, often on gentle slopes. [4]

Conservation

Only about 200 individual plants of D. aequalis are known, mostly on roadsides and on agricultural land. It is listed as "Vulnerable" (VU) under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). The threats to its survival include land clearing, grazing, road maintenance and illegal rubbish dumping. [4]

It was one of the plants targeted in the 2015 Save a Species Walk. [8]

Related Research Articles

<i>Diuris pardina</i> Species of orchid

Diuris pardina, commonly known as the leopard orchid or leopard doubletail is a species of orchid which is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has two or three grass-like leaves and up to ten yellow flowers with reddish-brown marks and blotches.

<i>Diuris orientis</i> Species of orchid

Diuris orientis, commonly called the wallflower orchid or eastern wallflower orchid, is a species of orchid which is endemic to eastern Australia. Like others in the genus Diuris, it has two ear-like petals and is similar to the common donkey orchid of Western Australia with which it has been confused. This species is found in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania and its stalk-like petal "claw" is shorter in than those of D. corymbosa.

<i>Diuris venosa</i> Species of orchid

Diuris venosa, commonly known as the veined doubletail is a species of orchid which is endemic to New South Wales. It has a few thin, erect leaves and up to four white to lilac-coloured flowers with deep red to purple blotches and lines.

<i>Diuris alba</i> Species of orchid

Diuris alba, commonly called the white donkey orchid, is a species of orchid which is endemic to eastern Australia. It has up to three leaves, and a flowering stem with up to seven white flowers with purplish markings.

<i>Diuris abbreviata</i> Species of orchid

Diuris abbreviata, commonly known as the lemon doubletail, is a species of orchid that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has two or three leaves and a flowering stem with up to nine yellow flowers with darker markings.

<i>Diuris eborensis</i> Species of orchid

Diuris eborensis is a species of orchid which is endemic to eastern Australia. It has up to six grass-like leaves and a flowering stem with up to four pale yellowish flowers with dark reddish purple streaks.

<i>Diuris dendrobioides</i> Species of orchid

Diuris dendrobioides, commonly known as the wedge diuris, is a species of orchid which is endemic to eastern Australia. It has one or two leaves and a flowering stem with up to six pale lilac-coloured to mauve flowers with darker markings.

<i>Diuris praecox</i> Species of orchid

Diuris praecox, commonly known as the early doubletail, Newcastle doubletail or rough doubletail is a species of orchid which is endemic to New South Wales. It has two or three grass-like leaves and up to ten light yellow flowers with a few dark brown marks. It is threatened by urbanisation.

<i>Diuris punctata</i> Species of orchid

Diuris punctata, commonly known as the purple donkey orchid is a species of orchid which is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It has two grass-like leaves and up to ten purple or mauve flowers, often with darker, sometimes yellow marks. A yellow form from near Guyra is probably now extinct.

Diuris bracteata is a species of orchid that is endemic to New South Wales. It has two folded leaves and up to eight yellow flowers with blackish marks. After its collection in a Sydney suburb in 1888, no further collections were made and the species was presumed extinct until 2004 when it was rediscovered near Gosford.

Diuris callitrophila, commonly known as the Oaklands doubletail or Oaklands diuris, is a species of orchid which is endemic to a small part of southern New South Wales. It has two or three leaves and up to nine whitish and mauve flowers with darker markings and unusually long lateral sepals.

Diuris disposita, commonly called the Macleay River doubletail or Willawarrin doubletail, is a species of orchid which is endemic to a small area in New South Wales. It has one or two linear leaves at its base and up to seven yellow flowers with brown markings. Only about fifty plants survive in grassy forest near Kempsey.

Diuris exitela, commonly called the Mount Moffat doubletail, is a species of orchid which is endemic to central western Queensland. It has two linear leaves at its base, up to twelve bright yellow flowers with dark brown markings and grows on sandstone cliffs and ridges.

Diuris flavescens, commonly called the pale yellow doubletail or Wingham doubletail, is a species of orchid which is endemic to a small area in New South Wales. It has two linear leaves at its base and up to five pale yellow flowers with dark brown markings. Fewer than 200 plants survive in grassy forest near Wingham.

Diuris fragrantissima, commonly called the fragrant doubletail or Sunshine diuris, is a species of orchid which is endemic to a small area to the west of Melbourne. It has two linear leaves at its base and up to twelve white flowers with mauve or pale purple markings with unusually long lateral sepals. Only about thirty plants survive in grassland near Sunshine.

Diuris luteola, commonly called the northern doubletail, is a species of orchid which is endemic to Queensland. It has a single linear leaf at its base and up to six pale yellow flowers with a few brown markings. It grows in shallow, stony soil on tablelands in eastern parts of the state.

<i>Diuris palustris</i> Species of orchid

Diuris palustris, commonly known as the swamp doubletail or swamp diuris is a species of orchid which is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a tuft of between eight and ten twisted leaves and up to four yellow flowers with brown spots and blotches marks and blotches.

<i>Diuris platichila</i> Species of orchid

Diuris platichila, commonly known as the Blue Mountains doubletail, is a species of orchid that is endemic to a few isolated places in the Blue Mountains in New South Wales. It has two leaves and up to eight yellow flowers with dark markings on the dorsal sepal and labellum. It has relatively long, thin lateral sepals and the central lobe of the labellum is wedge-shaped. It forms hybrids with other species of Diuris.

<i>Diuris semilunulata</i> Species of orchid

Diuris semilunulata, commonly known as the late leopard orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. It has two grass-like leaves and up to five orange-coloured flowers with brown and purple blotches.

Diuris striata is a poorly-known species of orchid that is endemic to New South Wales. It has a two grass-like leaves and about four mauve flowers with dark purple streaks on the labellum.

References

  1. Australian Government, Threatened Species Scientific Committee. (2022). "Diuris aequalis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2022: e.T206712067A206712854. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  2. 1 2 "Diuris aequalis". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  3. 1 2 Jones, David L. "Diuris aequalis". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney: plantNET. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 "Approved Conservation Advice for Diuris aequalis (Buttercup Doubletail)" (PDF). Australian Government Department of the Environment and Energy. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  5. "Duiris aequalis". APNI. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  6. Fitzgerald, Robert D. (1879). Australian Orchids (PDF). Vol. 1. Sydney: Thomas Richards, Government Printer. p. 5. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  7. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 305.
  8. "Save a species". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 17 October 2017.