Diuris orientis

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Eastern wallflower orchid
Diuris orientis - Flickr 003.jpg
D. orientis growing in the Adelaide Hills
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. orientis
Binomial name
Diuris orientis

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 ( Diuris corymbosa ) 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.

Contents

Description

Diuris orientis is a tuberous, perennial, terrestrial herb, usually growing to a height of 12–35 cm (5–10 in). There are up to three leaves arising from the base of the plant, each leaf linear to narrow lance-shaped, 10–30 cm (4–10 in) long, 5–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) wide and channelled. [1] [2] [3]

There are up to 6 yellow flowers with reddish brown, purplish and mauve markings on a raceme 8–40 mm (0.3–2 in) high. The dorsal sepal is erect, broadly egg-shaped, 9–15 mm (0.4–0.6 in) long and wide. The lateral sepals are greenish-brown, linear to lance-shaped, 12–23 mm (0.5–0.9 in) long, 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide, project down below the flow and are parallel or sometimes crossed. The petals are erect and spread, ear-like above the flower. They are broadly egg-shaped, 12–20 mm (0.5–0.8 in) long, 8–12 mm (0.3–0.5 in) wide on a greenish-brown, stalk-like "claw", 3–6 mm (0.1–0.2 in). (The claw in the similar Western Australian Diuris corymbosa is longer.) The labellum is 10–14 mm (0.4–0.6 in) long and is divided into three lobes. The lateral lobes are narrow egg-shaped to wedge shaped, 7–11 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long, 2.5–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide, sometimes with a wavy margin. The medial lobe is 5–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in), wedge-shaped, strongly folded with a rounded tip. There is a callus near the base of the mid-lobe, consisting of a narrow, yellow ridge. Flowering usually occurs between September and November. [1] [2] [3]

Labelled image Diuris orientis labelled.jpg
Labelled image

Taxonomy and naming

Diuris orientis was first formally described in 1998 by David Jones from a specimen collected at Beauty Point in Tasmania. The description was published in Australian Orchid Research. [4] The specific epithet (orientis) is a Latin word meaning "east", [5] referring to the easterly distribution of this species, compared to other orchids in the Diuris corymbosa complex. [1]

Distribution and habitat

The eastern wallflower orchid is widely distributed in South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria. [1] In New South Wales it is only found in the far south east, in and near the Nadgee Nature Reserve. [2] In Victoria it is fairly common in open forest and heath. [3] There is a dramatic increase in the flowering of this species after summer bushfires. [1]

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 behrii</i> Species of orchid

Diuris behrii, commonly known as golden cowslips, is a species of orchid which is endemic to eastern Australia. It occurs in South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. It has between three and six grass-like leaves and a flowering stem with up to four drooping, yellow flowers with dark streaks on the labellum. The flowers appear between September and November in its native range.

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

Diuris corymbosa, commonly called the common donkey orchid or wallflower orchid, is a species of orchid which is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is similar to the purple pansy orchid but its flowers are yellow rather than purple or mauve and it flowers earlier in the year. It also resembles the winter donkey orchid but flowers later than that species. It is one of the most common orchid species in the Perth area, often forms extensive colonies and usually has numerous flowers on the one spike.

<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 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 aurea</i> Species of orchid

Diuris aurea, commonly known as the golden donkey orchid, is a species of orchid which is endemic to Australia, growing in New South Wales and Queensland. It has one or two leaves at the base and two to five golden-yellow to orange flowers with some 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 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.

<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 curta is a species of orchid that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has one or two leaves and up to five bright yellow flowers with two small dark spots on the dorsal sepal. It grows on coastal headlands between about Byfield in Queensland and Hat Head in New South Wales.

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 fucosa is a species of orchid that is endemic to New South Wales. It between four and seven leaves and up to four pale yellow flowers with a few brown striations. It is only known from two sites in Callitris woodland in the south of the state and is classed as "extinct" in Victoria.

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

Diuris lanceolata, commonly known as large golden moths, is a species of orchid that is endemic to Tasmania. It has between two and four leaves and up to three golden to orange-yellow flowers with a few dark streaks.

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 monticola</i> Species of orchid

Diuris monticola, commonly known as highland golden moths, is a species of orchid that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a common and widespread, late flowering species growing in grassland and woodland habitats at higher altitudes. It has a tuft of up to nine leaves at the base and up to four slightly drooping bright yellow flowers with dark streaks in the centre.

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.

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.

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. 1 2 3 4 5 Jones, David L. (1998). "A taxonomic review of Diuris in Tasmania". Australian Orchid Research. 3: 77–78.
  2. 1 2 3 Jones, David L. "Diuris orientis". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney: plantNET. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 Jeanes, Jeffrey. "Diuris orientis". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria: vicflora. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  4. "Duiris aequalis". APNI. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  5. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 291.