Diuris fragrantissima

Last updated

Fragrant doubletail
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Genus: Diuris
Species:
D. fragrantissima
Binomial name
Diuris fragrantissima

Diuris fragrantissima, commonly called the fragrant doubletail [2] or Sunshine diuris, [3] 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.

Contents

Description

Diuris fragrantissima is a tuberous, perennial herb with two linear leaves 100–180 mm (4–7 in) long, 5–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) wide and folded lengthwise. Up to twelve white flowers with mauve or pale purple markings, 30–35 mm (1.2–1.4 in) wide are borne on a flowering stem 100–200 mm (4–8 in) tall. The dorsal sepal is erect, egg-shaped, 12–15 mm (0.5–0.6 in) long and 8–12 mm (0.3–0.5 in) wide. The lateral sepals are narrow lance-shaped, 50–85 mm (2–3 in) long, about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide, turned downwards at an angle and almost parallel to each other. The petals are erect or turned backwards with an elliptic or egg-shaped blade 9–12 mm (0.4–0.5 in) long and 6–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide on a green stalk 5–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long. The labellum is 9–12 mm (0.4–0.5 in) long and has three lobes. The centre lobe is fan-shaped or heart-shaped, 8–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long, 7–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) wide with a raised ridge along its midline and wrinkled edges. The side lobes are erect, irregularly shaped, 3.5–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long and about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide. There are two ridge-like calli 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) long near the base of the mid-line of the base of the labellum. Flowering occurs in October and November. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

The fragrant doubletail was first formally described in 1964 by Alick Dockrill from an unpublished description by Herman Rupp and given the name Diuris punctata var. albo-violacea. The description was published in The Victorian Naturalist . [5] [6] In 1989 David Jones and Mark Clements changed the name to D. fragrantissima noting that it differs from D. punctata in "having a dwarf habit, the stiff, erect habit of the flowers that are white with purple markings, and its strong fragrance". [7] [8] The specific epithet (fragrantissima) is the superlative form of the Latin word fragrans meaning "smelling agreeably". [9]

Distribution and habitat

At the time of European settlement, D. fragrantissima was plentiful in the grasslands to the west of Melbourne, but as early as 1934, W.H. Nicholls noted that it had become scarse. The population continued to decline until only one plant survived in the wild in 1992. About thirty wild plants of Diuris fragrantissima survive in grassland near Sunshine and others have been introduced to a small reserve near Altona. The populations at both Sunshine and Altona are under great stress due to the encroachment of industrial and residential development. Ecological processes such as the loss of natural pollinators also threaten this species. About 200 individuals survive in cultivation, mostly at Melbourne Zoo and the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. [3]

Conservation

Diuris fragrantissima is classified as "endangered" under the Australian government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and the Victorian government Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 . The main threats to the species are weed invasion, predation, especially by the introduced house mouse (Mus musculus), altered fire regimes and human interference. [3]

Related Research Articles

Diuris maculata, commonly known as the spotted doubletail is a species of orchid which is endemic to New South Wales. It has up to two or three folded leaves and a flowering stem with up to eight yellow flowers with brown to blackish markings. It is similar to D. pardina which has darker flowers with larger brown markings.

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

Diuris sulphurea, commonly called the tiger orchid or hornet 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 bright yellow flowers with dark brown markings.

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

Diuris aequalis, commonly called the buttercup doubletail, 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 classified as "vulnerable".

<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 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 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.

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

Diuris arenaria, commonly known as the Tomaree donkey orchid or sand doubletail is a species of orchid which is endemic to a very small area of New South Wales. It has two grass-like leaves and up to nine mauve or light purple and white flowers. It has a very limited distribution near Newcastle.

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 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 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.

Diuris oporina, commonly called the autumn donkey orchid or northern white donkeys tails is a species of orchid that is endemic to Queensland. It has a single tapering, linear leaf at its base and up to ten white flowers with mauve to purple markings. It grows in the drier parts of the tablelands in Far North Queensland.

<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.

Diuris parvipetala, commonly known as slender purple donkey orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to eastern Australia. It usually has two leaves at its base and up to nine relatively small, whitish to mauve flowers with purple markings. It is an uncommon species found in northern New South Wales and southern Queensland.

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 pulchella</i> Species of orchid

Diuris pulchella, commonly called the beautiful donkey orchid is a species of orchid that is endemic to the south-eastern part of the south-west of Western Australia. It has two or three leaves at its base and up to five bright yellow and mauve flowers described as "exquisite", "spectacular" and "attractive". It grows in shallow soil on granite outcrops near Esperance.

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. "Diuris fragrantissima". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  2. 1 2 Jones, David L. (2006). A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. p. 132. ISBN   1877069124.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Murphy, Anna H.; Webster, Alan; Knight, Colin; Lester, Karen. "National recovery plan for the Sunshine diuris Diuris fragrantissima" (PDF). Australian Government Department of the Environment. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  4. Jeanes, Jeff. "Diuris fragrantissima". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  5. "Diuris punctata var. albo-violacea". APNI. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  6. Dockrill, Alick W. (1964). "The Eastern Australian Orchid, Diuris punctata". The Victorian Naturalist. 81: 137. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  7. "Duiris fragrantissima". APNI. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  8. Clements, Mark A. (1989). "Catalogue of Australian Orchidaceae". Australian Orchid Research. 1: 68.
  9. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 352.