Diuris maculata

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Spotted 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. maculata
Binomial name
Diuris maculata

Diuris maculata, commonly known as the spotted doubletail, [2] is a species of orchid 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.

Contents

Description

Diuris maculata is a tuberous, perennial herb with two or three linear leaves 150–250 mm (5.9–9.8 in) long, 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) wide and folded lengthwise. Between two and eight flowers 20–25 mm (0.79–0.98 in) wide are borne on a flowering stem 150–350 mm (5.9–13.8 in) tall. The flowers are yellow with dark brown to blackish spots on all flower parts, sometimes on the reverse side. The dorsal sepal is erect or curved forwards, 7–10 mm (0.28–0.39 in) long and 5–7 mm (0.20–0.28 in) wide. The lateral sepals are linear to lance-shaped, 10–15 mm (0.39–0.59 in) long, about 2 mm (0.079 in) wide, turned downwards and crossed. The petals are erect to curved backwards, with an egg-shaped blade 7–11 mm (0.28–0.43 in) long and 6–9 mm (0.24–0.35 in) wide on a blackish stalk 4–7 mm (0.16–0.28 in) long. The labellum is 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) long and has three lobes. The centre lobe is wedge-shaped, 3–5 mm (0.12–0.20 in) long and 5–7 mm (0.20–0.28 in) wide and the side lobes are 4–7 mm (0.16–0.28 in) long and 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) wide. There are two ridged calli about 4–7 mm (0.16–0.28 in) long in the mid-line of the labellum. The species is similar to D. pardina but has lighter coloured flowers with smaller brown markings. Flowering occurs from July to November. [2] [3]

Taxonomy and naming

Diuris maculata was first formally described in 1805 by James Edward Smith and the description was published in Volume 1 of his book, Exotic Botany. [4] The specific epithet (maculata) is a Latin word meaning "spotted". [5]

Distribution and habitat

The spotted doubletail grows in shrubby forest and heath between Taree and Eden, mainly in coastal and near-coastal areas. [2] [3]

Ecology

This orchid has been shown to mimic the flowers of several native peas, including Hardenbergia violacea and Daviesia ulicifolia . The native bee Trichocolletes venustus visits both orchid and peas flowers and obtains food from the pea but not from the orchid, which even has a UV nectar guide similar to that on the peas. [6]

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.

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 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 chryseopsis</i> Species of orchid

Diuris chryseopsis, commonly known as common golden moths or the small snake orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a common and widespread species growing in woodland, often in colonies and has up to four drooping, golden-yellow flowers. It is similar to several other orchids and form hybrids with some other Diuris species.

<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 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 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.

Diuris bracteata is a species of orchid which 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 brevissima is a species of orchid which is endemic to New South Wales. It has two folded leaves and up to nine light yellow flowers with reddish-brown markings. It is a poorly known species that has only been recorded in the Blue Mountains.

Diuris byronensis, commonly known as the Byron Bay donkey orchid, is a species of orchid which is endemic to the Arakwal National Park in New South Wales. It has one or two grass-like leaves and up to five bright yellow flowers with blackish markings. It has a very limited distribution near Byron Bay.

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 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 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.

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 oporina</i> Species of orchid

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 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.

Diuris unica is a species of orchid which is endemic to eastern Australia. It usually has only one grass-like leaf at its base and up to eight bright, lemon-yellow flowers with a few dark markings. It is similar to D. chrysantha but flowers much earlier than that species and has only a single leaf rather than two.

References

  1. "Diuris maculata". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  2. 1 2 3 Jones, David L. (2006). A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. pp. 119–120. ISBN   1877069124.
  3. 1 2 Jones, David L. "Diuris maculata". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 9 March 2018.
  4. "Duiris maculata". APNI. Retrieved 9 March 2018.
  5. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 742.
  6. Indsto, James O.; Weston, Peter H.; Clements, Mark A.; Dyer, Adrian G.; Batley, Michael; Whelan, Robert J. (2006). "Pollination of Diuris maculata (Orchidaceae) by male Trichocolletes venustus bees". Australian Journal of Botany. 54 (7): 669–679. doi:10.1071/BT05146.