Diuris maculata

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Spotted doubletail
Diuris maculata - Curtis' 59 (N.S. 6) pl. 3156 (1832).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. maculata
Binomial name
Diuris maculata
Synonyms [1]

Diuris maculataSm. var. 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.

<i>Diuris drummondii</i> Species of orchid endemic to South Western Australia

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 tiger orchid from Australia

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 laxiflora</i> Species of orchid

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.

<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 currently listed as "Endangered".

<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 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 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.

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.

Diuris brevifolia is a species of orchid that is endemic to South Australia. It usually has one or two grass-like leaves and a flowering stem with up to five bright yellow and reddish-brown flowers with purple stalks.

Diuris insignis, commonly known as dark bee orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has between two and six narrowly linear to thread-like leaves and up to five yellow flowers with many dark red markings.

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

Diuris leopardina is a species of orchid that is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It has between two or three grass-like leaves of different lengths, and a flowering stem with up to five pale yellow to butter yellow flowers with reddish brown or purple marks and patterns, and leopard-like spots on the back.

Diuris pallescens, commonly known as pale 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 pale yellow flowers with light brown to reddish-brown markings.

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

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.

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

Diuris septentrionalis, commonly known as northern bee orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has two or three linear leaves and up to five yellow flowers with dark red markings.

References

  1. 1 2 "Diuris maculata". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
  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.