Habenaria exilis

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Wispy rein orchid
LR043 72dpi Habenaria exilis.jpg
Drawing of H. exilis by Lewis Roberts
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Orchideae
Genus: Habenaria
Willd.
Species:
H. exilis
Binomial name
Habenaria exilis

Habenaria exilis, commonly known as the wispy rein orchid, [2] is a species of orchid that is endemic to a small area in far north Queensland. It usually has two leaves at its base and up to fifteen tiny whitish flowers.

Contents

Description

Habenaria exilis is a tuberous, perennial herb usually with two upright, dark green leaves, 20–60 mm (0.8–2 in) long and 3–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide. Between seven and fifteen whitish flowers 8–9.5 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long and 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) wide are well-spaced along a flowering stem 200–500 mm (8–20 in) tall. The dorsal sepal and petals overlap at their bases and form a hood over the column. The dorsal sepal is about 3 mm (0.1 in) long and 2 mm (0.08 in) wide. The lateral sepals are about 4 mm (0.2 in) long, 2 mm (0.08 in) wide and spread nearly horizontally away from each other. The petals are about 2 mm (0.08 in) long and 1.5 mm (0.06 in) wide. The labellum is about 3 mm (0.1 in) long and 6 mm (0.2 in) wide and has three lobes. The side lobes are thread-like, about 4.5 mm (0.2 in) long and arranged at about 90° to the middle lobe which is shorter and turns downwards. The labellum spur is white and green, about 5 mm (0.2 in) long and parallel to the ovary. Flowering occurs between January and April. [2]

Taxonomy and naming

Habenaria exilis was first formally described in 1998 by David Jones from a specimen collected near Rossville by Lewis Roberts in 1993 and the description was published in The Orchadian. [3] The specific epithet (exilis) is a Latin word meaning "thin", "slender", "meager" or "poor ". [4]

Distribution and habitat

The wispy rein orchid has a narrow distribution near Rossville where it grows with grasses in sparse woodland which is partly flooded in summer. [2]

Related Research Articles

Zeuxine exilis, commonly known as Ridley's jewel orchid or the slender jewel orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to Christmas Island where it grows in rainforest. It has three or four egg-shaped leaves and up to thirty small, dull reddish flowers crowded along a thin, hairy flowering stem. It was first recorded in 1904 but was not seen again until 2009.

Arthrochilus prolixus, commonly known as wispy elbow orchid, is a flowering plant in the orchid family (Orchidaceae) and is endemic to eastern Australia. It has a rosette of bluish green leaves at its base and up to twenty two pale green, insect-like flowers with dark reddish to purplish glands on its labellum.

<i>Habenaria chlorosepala</i> Species of orchid

Habenaria chlorosepala, commonly known as the green-hooded rein orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to a small area in far north Queensland. It has two or three leaves at its base and up to twenty small green and white flowers.

<i>Habenaria elongata</i> Species of orchid

Habenaria elongata, commonly known as the white rein orchid, or Kimberley spider orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to northern Australia. It has up to four leaves at its base and up to twenty small white flowers with yellowish tips and thread-like lobes on the labellum.

Habenaria euryloba, commonly known as the small rein orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to a small area in far north Queensland. It has two or three leaves at its base and up to twenty small white flowers with a trident-like labellum.

Habenaria ferdinandi, commonly known as the yellow rein orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to the Northern Territory. It usually has two leaves at its base and up to fifteen tiny yellowish green, strongly scented flowers.

Habenaria fuscina, commonly known as the green rein orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to Cape York Peninsula. It has two or three leaves at its base and up to fifteen small green and white flowers with a labellum shaped like a trident.

Habenaria halata, commonly known as the sweet rein orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to northern parts of the Northern Territory. It has two or three leaves at its base and up to eighteen small white, sweet-smelling flowers with a labellum shaped like a trident.

Peristylus banfieldii, commonly known as the yellow ogre orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to Tropical North Queensland. It has between four and six leaves near its base and up to fifty cup-shaped, cream-coloured to yellow flowers on a hairy flowering stem.

Habenaria harroldii, commonly known as the southern rein orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to the Fraser Coast region of Queensland. It has up to five leaves at its base and up to twenty five white flowers with reduced side lobes on the labellum.

Habenaria hymenophylla, commonly known as the coastal rein orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to northern Australia. It up to eight leaves scattered along the stem and up to thirty smelly green and white flowers.

<i>Habenaria propinquior</i> Species of orchid

Habenaria propinquior, commonly known as the common rein orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to north Queensland. It has two to four leaves at its base and up to thirty white flowers with thread-like lobes on the labellum.

<i>Habenaria rumphii</i> Species of orchid

Habenaria rumphii, commonly known as the stiff rein orchid, is a species of orchid that is widespread and common in Southeast Asia, New Guinea and northern Australia. It has six or seven leaves on the lower part of its stem and up to thirty white flowers with one long and two short lobes on the labellum.

Habenaria macraithii, commonly known as the whiskered rein orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to a small area in far north Queensland. It has up to eleven scattered leaves and up to twenty five relatively large green flowers with thread-like petal lobes.

Habenaria ochroleuca, commonly known as the sickle orchid or sickle habenaria, is a species of orchid that is endemic to northern Australia. It has two or three broad, glabrous leaves and up to twenty five white flowers on a flowering stem with many overlapping bracts. The side lobes of the labellum curve upwards.

Habenaria praecox, commonly known as the early rein orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to the north coast of Queensland. It has between two and four narrow, upright leaves at its base and up to thirty five small white flowers with a green dorsal sepal.

Habenaria triplonema, commonly known as the twisted rein orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to northern Australia. It two or three leaves at its base and up to twenty five yellowish, strongly scented flowers.

<i>Peristylus maingayi</i> Species of orchid plant

Peristylus maingayi, commonly known as the white ogre orchid, is a species of orchid that is native to southern Indochina, New Guinea and north Queensland. It has two or three broad leaves near its base and up to fifteen small white flowers that are tube-shaped near the base and have a three-lobed labellum.

Habenaria vatia, commonly known as the curved rein orchid, is a species of orchid, that is endemic Queensland where it is only known from a small number of islands. It has between three and five leaves at its base and up to twenty-five small white flowers with a relatively long green and white nectary spur.

<i>Habenaria xanthantha</i> Species of orchid

Habenaria xanthantha, commonly known as the freak rein orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to far northern Queensland. It has two or three leaves at its base and up to twenty small white flowers often lacking the nectary spur present on other species in the genus.

References

  1. "Habenaria exilis". 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. pp. 341–342. ISBN   1877069124.
  3. "Habenaria exilis". APNI. Retrieved 22 August 2018.
  4. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 624.