Diuris immaculata

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Little Esperance bee orchid
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. immaculata
Binomial name
Diuris immaculata

Diuris immaculata, commonly known as the little Esperance bee orchid, [2] is a rare species of orchid that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has between four and six leaves and up to three golden yellow flowers without markings. It is only known from near Esperance.

Contents

Description

Diuris immaculata is a tuberous, perennial herb with between four and six linear to lance-shaped leaves 40–80 mm (2–3 in) long, 1–3 mm (0.04–0.1 in) wide and folded lengthwise. Up to three golden yellow flowers without markings, 15–18 mm (0.6–0.7 in) long and 9–12 mm (0.4–0.5 in) wide are borne on a flowering stem 80–300 mm (3–10 in) tall. The dorsal sepal is egg-shaped, 9–14 mm (0.4–0.6 in) long, 5–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide and curves upwards. The lateral sepals are oblong to egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, 10–16 mm (0.4–0.6 in) long, 2.5–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide, held below the horizontal and parallel to each other. The petals are held above horizontal, egg-shaped to elliptic, 7–12 mm (0.3–0.5 in) long and 6–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide on a green stalk 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long. The labellum is 10–13 mm (0.4–0.5 in) long, turns slightly downwards and has three lobes. The centre lobe is broadly egg-shaped to wedge-shaped, 8–11 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long and 7–11 mm (0.3–0.4 in) wide. The side lobes are egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, 4.5–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and 2.5–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide. There are two callus ridges 4.5 mm (0.2 in) long spreading apart from each other, near the mid-line of the labellum. Flowering occurs from September to November after fire. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

Diuris immaculata was first formally described in 2006 by David Jones from a specimen collected north-east of Esperance and the description was published in Australian Orchid Research. [5] The specific epithet (immaculata) is a Latin word meaning "unstained" or "unspotted", [6] referring to the pure yellow colour of the flowers of this orchid. [3]

Distribution and habitat

The little Esperance bee orchid grows in winter-wet areas from north-east of Esperance to the Cape Arid National Park. [2] [4]

Conservation

Diuris immaculata is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife, [7]

Related Research Articles

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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.

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

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.

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

Diuris protena, commonly known as northern golden moths, is a species of orchid which is endemic to Victoria. It has a tuft of between four and eight leaves at the base and up to three mostly yellow flowers with a few light-coloured marks. It is classed as "endangered" in Victoria.

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

Caladenia heberleana, commonly known as Heberle's spider orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single, hairy leaf and up to three red, white and pale yellow flowers which have a white, red-tipped labellum.

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

Diuris conspicillata, commonly called the spectacled donkey orchid is a species of orchid which is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an uncommon species, only found on two coastal granite outcrops, growing in shallow soil pockets.

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

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 amplissima, commonly called the giant donkey orchid is a species of orchid that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a rare species and the largest Diuris in Western Australia. It has two or three leaves at its base and up to seven purple and dull yellowish-brown flowers on a tall flowering stem.

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

Diuris concinna, commonly called the elegant donkey orchid, is a species of orchid which is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has up to five linear leaves at its base and up to five pale yellow flowers with brown markings. It is found along the south coast, often growing in areas that are flooded in winter and flowering more prolifically after fire the previous summer.

Diuris eburnea is a species of orchid that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has between four and six linear leaves and up to eight pale yellow to cream-coloured flowers with reddish markings. It is only known from near the Arrowsmith River north of Eneabba.

Diuris emarginata, commonly called the late donkey orchid, is a species of orchid which is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has up to six leaves and a flowering stem with up to eight yellow flowers with brown markings but only after fires the previous summer.

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

Diuris gregaria, commonly known as clumping golden moths is a species of orchid that is endemic to Victoria. It between three and seven leaves and one or two bright yellow flowers with a few dark striations and usually grows in dense tufts of up to thirty plants. It is a rare species mostly only found in grassland west of Melbourne.

Diuris heberlei, commonly called Heberle's donkey orchid, is a species of orchid which is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has three to five linear leaves at its base and up to four bright yellow flowers with a reddish brown border around the labellum callus. It is found along the south coast and is one of the last Diuris to flower in Western Australia.

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

Diuris laevis, commonly known as the nanny goat orchid, is a rare species of orchid that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has between four and eight leaves and up to six pale yellow flowers which usually have reddish-brown markings. It has an unusually short dorsal sepal and wide labellum and is relatively common between Bunbury and Albany.

Diuris micrantha, commonly called the dwarf bee orchid or tiny bee orchid, is a rare species of orchid which is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has four to six linear leaves at its base and up to six yellow flowers with reddish brown markings. It grows in swampy places south of Perth.

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

Diuris picta, commonly called the granite bee orchid or granite donkey orchid, is a species of orchid which is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has between three and five leaves at its base and up to eight creamy-white to yellow flowers with brownish purple markings. It grows on granite outcrops between Menzies and Lake King.

<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.

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

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.

Diuris recurva, commonly called the mini donkey orchid is a species of orchid that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has one or two leaves at its base, up to six small pale yellow and brownish flowers and grows in winter-wet places between Badgingarra and Kalbarri.

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

Diuris setacea, commonly called the bristly donkey orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a tuft of up to ten twisted leaves at its base and up to seven yellow flowers with a few brown markings. It grows in moist soil on granite outcrops and flowers much more prolifically after fire the previous summer.

References

  1. "Diuris immaculata". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  2. 1 2 3 Brown, Andrew; Dundas, Pat; Dixon, Kingsley; Hopper, Stephen (2008). Orchids of Western Australia. Crawley, Western Australia: University of Western Australia Press. p. 224. ISBN   9780980296457.
  3. 1 2 Jones, David L. (2006). "Miscellaneous new species of Australian Orchidaceae". Australian Orchid Research. 5: 80–81.
  4. 1 2 Hoffman, Noel; Brown, Andrew (2011). Orchids of South-West Australia (3rd ed.). Gooseberry Hill: Noel Hoffman. p. 490. ISBN   9780646562322.
  5. "Duiris immaculata". APNI. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
  6. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 653.
  7. "Diuris immaculata". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.