Genoplesium validum

Blackdown midge orchid
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Orchidaceae
Subfamily:	Orchidoideae
Tribe:	Diurideae
Genus:	Genoplesium
Species:	G. validum
Binomial name
Genoplesium validum D.L.Jones [1]
Synonyms [1]
Corunastylis valida(D.L.Jones) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem.

Genoplesium validum, commonly known as the Blackdown midge orchid, is a species of small terrestrial orchid that is endemic to the Blackdown Tableland National Park in Queensland, Australia. It has a single thin leaf fused to the flowering stem and up to thirty five greenish-brown flowers with reddish stripes and a hairy labellum. This species is treated as Corunastylis valida in Queensland.

Description

Genoplesium validum is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous herb with an underground tuber. It has a single thin leaf with a reddish base, 200–300 mm (8–10 in) long, fused to the flowering stem with the free part 25–35 mm (0.98–1.4 in) long. Between 15 and 35 flowers are arranged along a flowering stem 50–90 mm (2.0–3.5 in) long, reaching to a height of 250–400 mm (10–20 in). The flowers lean downwards, are greenish-brown, about 6 mm (0.2 in) long and 4 mm (0.2 in) wide. As with others in the genus, the flowers are inverted so that the labellum is above the column rather than below it. The dorsal sepal is elliptic to narrow egg-shaped, about 4.5 mm (0.2 in) long, 2 mm (0.08 in) wide and greenish with narrow, dark purplish bands. The lateral sepals are linear to lance-shaped, about 5 mm (0.2 in) long, 1 mm (0.04 in) wide and spread widely apart from each other. The petals are linear to egg-shaped, about 3.5 mm (0.1 in) long and 1 mm (0.04 in) wide with dark purplish bands. The labellum is elliptic to broadly oblong, about 3 mm (0.1 in) long, 1.5 mm (0.06 in) wide and dark purplish-black with its edges densely covered with short, coarse purplish hairs. There is a dark purplish-black callus in the centre of the labellum, extending almost to its tip. Flowering occurs from December to April. ^{[2] [3]}

Taxonomy and naming

Genoplesium validum was first formally described in 1991 by David Jones and the description was published in Australian Orchid Research. ^[4] In 2002, David Jones and Mark Clements changed the name to Corunastylis valida, a name that is accepted in Queensland but not by the Australian Plant Census. ^{[1] [5]} The specific epithet (validum) is a Latin word meaning "strong" or "powerful", ^[6] referring to the robust habit of this orchid. ^[3]

Distribution and habitat

The Blackdown midge orchid grows in sandy soil in rocky places on the Blackdown Tableland. ^{[2] [3]}

References

1. "Genoplesium validum". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
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. 182. ISBN   1877069124.
3. Jones, David L. (1991). "New taxa of Australian Orchidaceae". Australian Orchid Research. 2: 74–75.
4. "Genoplesium validum". APNI. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
5. "Corunastylis valida". APNI. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
6. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 767.