Common donkey orchid | |
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Diuris corymbosa growing in Kings Park, Perth | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Order: | Asparagales |
Family: | Orchidaceae |
Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
Tribe: | Diurideae |
Genus: | Diuris |
Species: | D. corymbosa |
Binomial name | |
Diuris corymbosa | |
Synonyms [1] | |
Diuris corymbosa, commonly called common donkey orchid or wallflower orchid, [2] is a species of orchid which is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is similar to the purple pansy orchid ( Diuris longifolia ), but its flowers are yellow rather than purple or mauve, and it flowers earlier in the year. It also resembles the winter donkey orchid ( Diuris brumalis ) but flowers later than that species. It is one of the most common orchid species in the Perth area, often forming extensive colonies and usually having numerous flowers on the one spike. [2] [3]
Diuris corymbosa is a tuberous, perennial herb, usually growing to a height of 20–40 cm (8–20 in) with two or three leaves emerging at the base, 120–250 mm (5–10 in) long and 5–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) wide. There are up to eight yellow flowers with purple and brown blotches, 20 mm (0.8 in) long and 20–30 mm (0.8–1 in) wide. The flowers have long, wide donkey ear-like petals, a short, wide erect dorsal sepal and narrow, hanging, sometimes crossed lateral sepals. The labellum has three lobes, the lateral ones broad and spreading and the middle lobe short, inverted V-shaped or flattened. Flowering occurs from September, sometimes August, to October. [2] [3]
Diuris corymbosa was first formally described in 1840 by John Lindley and the description was published in A Sketch of the Vegetation of the Swan River Colony as an appendix to Edwards's Botanical Register . [4] [5] The specific epithet (corymbosa) is derived from the Latin word corymbus meaning "a bunch of flowers" [6] : 214 and the suffix -osus meaning "an abundance of", [6] : 44 referring to the flower clusters of this species. [3]
The Common donkey orchid occurs between Dongara and Albany where it grows in woodland, often on the margins of swamps.
Diuris corymbosa is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife. [7]
Diuris brumalis, commonly known as the winter donkey orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is one of the first species of donkey orchid to flower in Western Australia each year and its flowers have been shown to attract the same insects that pollinate other species, but without offering a food reward.
Diuris carinata, commonly known as the tall bee orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has between four and six leaves and up to seven large, bright yellow flowers with reddish-brown markings.
Diuris porrifolia, commonly called the small-flowered donkey orchid is a species of orchid which is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has two or three leaves and up to seven yellow flowers with brown or reddish markings. It is similar to the common donkey orchid but its flowers are smaller and it has a more easterly distribution.
Diuris drummondii, commonly known as the tall donkey orchid is a species of orchid which is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is the tallest Diuris and is distinguished from the similar Diuris emarginata by its larger, more widely spaced flowers. The flowers are pale yellow with brown markings.
Diuris filifolia, commonly known as the cat's face orchid, is a species of orchid which is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is one of the rarest Diuris in Western Australia, sometimes flowering in large numbers but only after hot summer fires.
Pterostylis barbata, commonly known as the western bearded greenhood or bird orchid is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. Flowering plants have a rosette of leaves at the base of the plant and a single translucent white flower with dark green veins on a flowering stem with up to 20 stem leaves. It is one of a number of bearded orchids, some of which have yet to be formally described, all of which have a distinctive feather-like labellum.
Diuris laxiflora, commonly known as bee orchid, is a species of orchid which is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It has two to five narrowly linear leaves and up to six yellow flowers with brown markings. It is a small orchid, common within its range and about half the size of the common donkey orchid, Diuris corymbosa.
Caladenia reptans subsp. reptans, commonly known as the little pink fairy or dwarf pink fairy, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single hairy leaf and up to three relatively small, pink flowers which have a labellum with three distinct lobes.
Cyanicula ixioides, commonly known as the white china orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single, broad, flattened leaf and up to three yellow or white flowers. It mostly only occurs in woodlands and forest near Perth.
Diuris magnifica, commonly called the large pansy orchid, is a species of orchid which is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has large, colourful flowers and is common in a narrow range near the coast around Perth, often occurring with the similar but smaller Diuris corymbosa.
Diuris purdiei, commonly known as Purdie's donkey orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has between five and ten leaves at its base and up to eight pale yellow flowers with reddish-brown or purplish markings. It mainly grows in swampy areas and only flowers after fires the previous summer.
Eriochilus tenuis, commonly known as the slender bunny orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It has a single egg-shaped leaf lying flat on the ground and one or two small pink or pink and white flowers. A common species, it grows in dense, shrubby forest and in winter-wet swamps.
Diuris jonesii, commonly known as Dunsborough donkey orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has large, yellow, brown and mauve flowers and is found in near-coastal areas between Dunsborough and Augusta.
Diuris brachyscapa, commonly known as western wheatbelt donkey orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has two or three linear leaves and a flowering stem with up to four pale yellow flowers with brown markings.
Diuris brockmanii, commonly known as south coast donkey orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has two or three linear leaves and a flowering stem with up to ten yellow flowers with reddish-brown markings.
Diuris carecta, commonly known as sedge-loving donkey orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to the west of Western Australia. It has two or three linear leaves and a tall flowering stem with up to six yellow and brown flowers with strongly curved lateral sepals.
Diuris cruenta, commonly known as Kemerton donkey orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has two or three linear leaves and a flowering stem with up to seven pale yellow and reddish-brown flowers, and is similar to D. tinctoria.
Diuris ostrina, commonly known as Darling Scarp donkey orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has two or three linear to lance-shaped leaves and up to five brown to brownish-yellow and purple-mauve flowers.
Diuris porphyrochila, commonly known as Yalgorup donkey orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has two or three linear to lance-shaped leaves and a flowering stem with up to eight yellow flowers with brown to reddish-brown and purple markings.
Diuris tinkeri, commonly known as Arrowsmith donkey orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has two or three linear to lance-shaped leaves and up to seven yellow flowers suffused with reddish-purple to purple.