Diuris micrantha

Last updated

Dwarf 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. micrantha
Binomial name
Diuris micrantha

Diuris micrantha, commonly called the dwarf bee orchid [2] or tiny bee orchid, [3] 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.

Contents

Description

Diuris micrantha is a tuberous, perennial herb with between four and six linear leaves, each leaf 80–130 mm (3–5 in) long and 1–2 mm (0.04–0.08 in) wide in a loose tuft at the base. Up to six yellow flowers with reddish brown markings, about 14 mm (0.6 in) long and 12–13 mm (0.47–0.51 in) wide are borne on a flowering stem 300–600 mm (10–20 in) tall. The dorsal sepal curves upwards and is narrow egg-shaped, 6–7.5 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and about 3 mm (0.1 in) wide. The lateral sepals are linear, green and purplish, 6–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long, about 1.5 mm (0.06 in) wide, turned downwards and parallel to each other. The petals are more or less erect, spread apart from each other with a broadly egg-shaped to almost round blade 4–5.5 mm (0.16–0.22 in) long and 3.5–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide on a reddish-brown stalk 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) long. There is a distinct reddish brown blotch near the tip of the petals. The labellum is 5–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and has three lobes. The centre lobe is egg-shaped to wedge-shaped, 5–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide and the side lobes are linear to egg-shaped, 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long and about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide. There are two parallel, reddish brown, ridge-like calli about 3.5 mm (0.14 in) long near the mid-line of the base of the labellum. Flowering occurs in September and October. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Taxonomy and naming

Diuris micrantha was first formally described in 1991 by David Jones from a specimen collected in Mandogalup, and the description was published in Australian Orchid Review. [7] The specific epithet (micrantha) is derived from the Ancient Greek words mikros meaning "small" or "little" [8] :488 and anthos meaning "flower", [8] :338 referring to the small flowers of this orchid. [4]

Distribution and habitat

The dwarf bee orchid grows with dense sedges in swampy place between Perth and Boyup Brook in the Jarrah Forest and Swan Coastal Plain biogeographic regions. [2] [5] [9]

Conservation

Diuris micrantha is classified as "vulnerable" under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and as "Threatened Flora (Declared Rare Flora — Extant)" by the Department of Environment and Conservation (Western Australia). [9] It is threatened by weeds and by inappropriate fire regimes, especially by fires in winter and spring. [6]

Related Research Articles

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 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 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>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 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.

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.

<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 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.

<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.

Diuris immaculata, commonly known as the little Esperance bee orchid, 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.

<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 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 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 semilunulata</i> Species of orchid

Diuris semilunulata, commonly known as the late leopard orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. It has two grass-like leaves and up to five orange-coloured flowers with brown and purple blotches.

References

  1. "Diuris micrantha". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  2. 1 2 3 Brown, Andrew; Dixon, Kingsley; French, Christopher; Brockman, Garry (2013). Field guide to the orchids of Western Australia : the definitive guide to the native orchids of Western Australia. Simon Nevill Publications. p. 227. ISBN   9780980348149.
  3. 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. 124. ISBN   1877069124.
  4. 1 2 Jones, David L. (1991). "New taxa of Australian Orchidaceae". Australian Orchid Research. 2: 58–59.
  5. 1 2 Hoffman, Noel; Brown, Andrew (2011). Orchids of South-West Australia (3rd ed.). Gooseberry Hill: Noel Hoffman. p. 487. ISBN   9780646562322.
  6. 1 2 "Approved Conservation Advice for Diuris micrantha (Dwarf Bee-orchid)" (PDF). Australian Government Department of the Environment. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
  7. "Duiris micrantha". APNI. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
  8. 1 2 Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
  9. 1 2 "Diuris micrantha". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.