Diuris secundiflora

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One-sided donkey 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. secundiflora
Binomial name
Diuris secundiflora

Diuris secundiflora, commonly known as the one-sided donkey orchid, [2] is a poorly-known species of orchid that is endemic to New South Wales. It has a single grass-like leaf and up to eight yellow flowers that are sometimes spotted and are all arranged on one side of the flowering stem.

Contents

Description

Diuris secundiflora is a tuberous, perennial herb with a single leaf about 90 mm (4 in) long, 3 mm (0.1 in) wide and folded lengthwise. Between two and eight yellow flowers about 15 mm (0.6 in) wide are borne on one side of a flowering stem about 500 mm (20 in) tall. The dorsal sepal curves backwards, 8–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long, about 6 mm (0.2 in) wide and egg-shaped to spatula-shaped. The lateral sepals are linear, 30–40 mm (1–2 in) long, about 1.5 mm (0.06 in) wide and turned downwards. The petals spread widely or are more or less erect, egg-shaped, 6–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and about 5 mm (0.2 in) wide on a dark reddish brown stalk 8–9 mm (0.31–0.35 in) long. The labellum is about 6 mm (0.2 in) long and has three lobes. The centre lobe is fan-shaped, 4 mm (0.16 in) long and 6 mm (0.24 in) wide with a central ridge. The side lobes are about 2 mm (0.08 in) long and less than 1 mm (0.04 in) wide. There are two thick callus ridges 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) long near the mid-line of the labellum. Flowering occurs in October and November. [2] [3]

Taxonomy and naming

Diuris secundiflora was first formally described in 1878 by Robert FitzGerald and the description was published in his book Australian Orchids . [4]

Distribution

The one-sided donkey orchid is only known from the type location near the Macleay River "growing in a small cluster on an open bank". [2] [3] [4]

Related Research Articles

<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 alba</i> Species of orchid

Diuris alba, commonly called the white donkey 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 white flowers with purplish markings.

<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 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 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 chrysantha, commonly known as granite donkey orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has one or two leaves and up to seven deep golden to orange-coloured flowers with brown markings and occurs on the ranges and tablelands north from Tamworth to the Darling Downs.

<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 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 disposita, commonly called the Macleay River doubletail or Willawarrin doubletail, is a species of orchid which is endemic to a small area in New South Wales. It has one or two linear leaves at its base and up to seven yellow flowers with brown markings. Only about fifty plants survive in grassy forest near Kempsey.

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 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 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.

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 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.

<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.

Diuris tricolor, commonly known as the long-tailed donkey orchid or pine donkey orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to New South Wales, although a single plant has been found in Victoria. It has up to three grass-like leaves and up to six orange-coloured to yellow flowers with white and purplish tints. The lateral sepals are unusually long.

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 secundiflora". 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. p. 130. ISBN   1877069124.
  3. 1 2 Jones, David L. "Diuris secundiflora". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  4. 1 2 "Duiris secundiflora". APNI. Retrieved 5 April 2018.