Gastrodia urceolata

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White potato orchid
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Tribe: Gastrodieae
Genus: Gastrodia
Species:
G. urceolata
Binomial name
Gastrodia urceolata

Gastrodia urceolata, commonly known as white potato orchid, [2] is a leafless terrestrial mycotrophic orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It has a pale brown, fleshy flowering stem and up to fifty five upright, white to pale brown flowers. It is only known from a single population near Atherton in Queensland.

Contents

Description

Gastrodia urceolata is a leafless terrestrial, mycotrophic herb that has a slightly shiny, fleshy, pale brown flowering stem 20–130 cm (8–50 in) tall. There are between ten and fifty upright white flowers which distinguish the species from other gastrodias in Australia. The sepals and petals are joined, forming a tube about 12–14 mm (0.5–0.6 in) long with spreading, warty tips about 2 mm (0.08 in) long. The labellum is about 12–14 mm (0.5–0.6 in) long, 7–8 mm (0.28–0.31 in) wide with three lobes and completely enclosed in the tube. Flowering occurs from October to December and is followed by upright, urn-shaped capsules 6 mm (0.2 in) long and wide. [2] [3]

Taxonomy and naming

Gastrodia urceolata was first formally described in 1991 by David Jones from a specimen collected near Atherton in 1988. The description was published in Australian Orchid Research. [4] The specific epithet (urceolata) is derived from the Latin word urceus meaning "pitcher" or "urn" [5] referring to the shape of the capsule. [3]

Distribution and habitat

The white potato orchid is only known from a single population on the Atherton Tableland where it grows in forest. [2] [3]

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<i>Gastrodia</i> Genus of orchids

Gastrodia, commonly known as potato orchids or as 天麻属 , is a genus of terrestrial leafless orchids in the family Orchidaceae, about ninety of which have been described. Orchids in this genus have fleshy, upright stems and small to medium-sized resupinate flowers with narrow sepals and petals. They are native to Asia, Australia, New Zealand, central Africa, and various islands of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

<i>Epipogium</i> Genus of orchids

Epipogium, commonly known as ghost orchids or as 虎舌兰属 , is a genus of four species of terrestrial leafless orchids in the family Orchidaceae. Orchids in this genus have a fleshy, underground rhizome and a fleshy, hollow flowering stem with small, pale coloured, drooping, short-lived flowers with narrow sepals and petals. They are native to a region extending from tropical Africa to Europe, temperate and tropical Asia, Australia and some Pacific Islands.

<i>Didymoplexis</i> Genus of plants

Didymoplexis, commonly known as crystal orchids or as 双唇兰属 , is a genus of terrestrial leafless orchids in the family Orchidaceae, about twenty species of which have been described. Orchids in this genus have swollen, fleshy rhizomes and thin, pale, upright fleshy flowering stems with resupinate, bell-shaped white or pale yellowish brown flowers. They are native to Africa, Madagascar, Southeast Asia, Australia and various islands of the Pacific.

<i>Aphyllorchis</i> Genus of flowering plants

Aphyllorchis, commonly known as pauper orchids or as 無葉蘭屬/无叶兰属 , is a genus of about twenty species of terrestrial leafless orchids in the family Orchidaceae. Orchids in this genus have fleshy, upright stems and small to medium-sized resupinate flowers with narrow sepals and petals. They are native to a region extending from India east to China and Japan, south to Indonesia, New Guinea and Queensland.

<i>Dipodium roseum</i> Species of orchid

Dipodium roseum, commonly known as rosy hyacinth-orchid or pink hyacinth-orchid, is a leafless saprophytic orchid found in east and south-eastern Australia. In summer it produces a tall flowering stem with up to fifty pale pink flowers with small, dark red spots. A widespread and common species it is often confused with D. punctatum but has darker, less heavily spotted flowers.

<i>Burnettia</i> Genus of flowering plants

Burnettia cuneata, commonly known as the lizard orchid, is the only species of the flowering plant genus Burnettia in the orchid family, Orchidaceae. It is a leafless terrestrial, mycotrophic herb with one or two leaf-like bracts and up to seven flowers that are brownish on the back and pink or white inside. It is endemic to southeastern Australia where it grows in dense thickets in swamps.

<i>Erythrorchis</i> Genus of orchids

Erythrorchis, commonly known as bootlace orchids or as 倒吊兰属 , is a genus of two species of climbing, leafless orchids in the family Orchidaceae. Orchids in this genus are climbing or scrambling vines that cling by small roots, usually climbing on tree trunks. Many-branched flowering stems bear many densely crowded flowers.

<i>Aphyllorchis queenslandica</i> Species of flowering plant

Aphyllorchis queenslandica, commonly known as the yellow pauper orchid, is a leafless terrestrial mycotrophic orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It has up to twelve dull yellow flowers on a thin, fleshy, purple flowering stem and is endemic to tropical north Queensland where it grows in rainforest.

<i>Gastrodia sesamoides</i> Species of orchid

Gastrodia sesamoides, commonly known as cinnamon bells or common potato orchid in Australia and as the pot-bellied orchid or cinnamon sticks in New Zealand, is a leafless, terrestrial saprophytic orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It has a thin, fleshy brown flowering stem and up to twenty five drooping, brownish, self-pollinating flowers that are white inside. Growing in a wide range of habitats, it is native to Australia and New Zealand.

<i>Praecoxanthus</i> Genus of orchids

Praecoxanthus aphyllus, commonly known as leafless orchid, is the only species of the flowering plant genus Praecoxanthus in the orchid family, Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. Plants in flower lack a true leaf, although those plants that are not flowering do possess a green leaf. This species is one of the first orchids to flower each year and its creamy white, fragrant flower easily distinguishes it from other species.

Aphyllorchis anomala, commonly known as the simple pauper orchid, is a leafless terrestrial mycotrophic orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It has up to twenty white flowers with purple markings on a deep purple flowering stem and grows in shady rainforest in tropical north Queensland.

Gastrodia queenslandica, commonly known as rainforest bells, is a leafless terrestrial mycotrophic orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It has one or two small, yellowish brown, tube-shaped flowers on a thin, brittle flowering stem and grows in rainforest in tropical north Queensland, Australia.

<i>Didymoplexis pallens</i> Species of orchid

Didymoplexis pallens, commonly known as crystal bells or 双唇兰 , is a leafless terrestrial mycotrophic orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It has up to fifteen small, white, pinkish or brownish flowers on a fleshy yellow flowering stem. The flowers open one at a time, remaining open for a short time. Crystal bells is widely distributed in Asia, Southeast Asia, New Guinea, Australia and some Pacific Islands.

<i>Epipogium roseum</i> Species of orchid

Epipogium roseum, commonly known as the ghost orchid, leafless nodding orchid or 虎舌兰 , is a leafless terrestrial mycotrophic orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It has up to sixteen cream-coloured, yellowish or pinkish flowers with an enlarged ovary on a fleshy hollow flowering stem. This ghost orchid is widely distributed in tropical Africa, Asia, Southeast Asia, New Guinea, Australia and some Pacific Islands.

<i>Erythrorchis cassythoides</i> Species of orchid

Erythrorchis cassythoides, commonly known as the black bootlace orchid, is a leafless climbing orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It has long, dark brown to blackish stems and groups of up to thirty yellowish to greenish, sweetly scented flowers and is endemic to eastern Australia.

Gastrodia crebriflora, commonly known as dense potato orchid, is a leafless terrestrial mycotrophic orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It has a pale brown flowering stem and up to thirty five crowded, drooping, white to pale brown flowers. It is only known from the Blackdown Tableland in Queensland, Australia.

<i>Gastrodia entomogama</i> Species of orchid

Gastrodia entomogama, commonly known as the Brindabella potato orchid, is a leafless terrestrial mycotrophic orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It has a dark brown or blackish flowering stem with up to sixty brown, warty, tube-shaped flowers. It is only known for certain from the Australian Capital Territory.

Gastrodia lacista, commonly known as the western potato orchid, is a leafless terrestrial mycotrophic orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It has a thin brown flowering stem with up to fifty small, drooping, fawn and white, tube-shaped flowers. It grows in forest and woodland in the south-west of Western Australia.

<i>Gastrodia procera</i> Species of orchid

Gastrodia procera, commonly known as the tall potato orchid, is a leafless terrestrial mycotrophic orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It has a robust, dark brown to blackish flowering stem with up to seventy cinnamon brown, tube-shaped flowers that are white inside. It grows in high rainfall forest in southeastern Australia.

Gastrodia vescula, commonly known as small potato orchid, is a leafless terrestrial mycotrophic orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It has a very thin, brittle, light brown flowering stem with up to three pale brown flowers that are white on the inside. It is only known from a small area near the border between South Australia and Victoria.

References

  1. "Gastrodia urceolata". 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. 371. ISBN   1877069124.
  3. 1 2 3 Jones, David L. (1991). "New taxa of Australian Orchidaceae". Australian Orchid Research. 2: 64–65.
  4. "Gastrodia urceolata". APNI. Retrieved 10 November 2018.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  5. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 628.