Habenaria praecox

Last updated

Early rein orchid
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Orchideae
Genus: Habenaria
Species:
H. praecox
Binomial name
Habenaria praecox

Habenaria praecox, commonly known as the early rein orchid, [2] 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.

Contents

Description

Habenaria praecox is a tuberous, perennial herb with between two and four upright leaves, 50–100 mm (2–4 in) long and 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) wide. Between three and thirty five green and white flowers, 8–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long and wide are borne on a flowering stem 200–500 mm (8–20 in) tall. The dorsal sepal is green, about 4 mm (0.2 in) long, 2.5 mm (0.1 in) wide and forms a hood over the column. The lateral sepals are about 5 mm (0.2 in) long, 1.4 mm (0.06 in) wide, curved and spread apart from each other. The petals are about 4 mm (0.2 in) long and 2.5 mm (0.1 in) wide. The labellum has three lobes. The side lobes are tapered, 4.5–5.5 mm (0.18–0.22 in) long with their tips curved upwards and the middle lobe is about 4 mm (0.2 in) long. The labellum spur curves forwards and is 7–9 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long. Flowering occurs from December to January. [2] [3]

Taxonomy and naming

Habenaria praecox was first formally described in 1999 by Bill Lavarack and Alick Dockrill from a specimen collected near Cardwell and the description was published in Austrobaileya. [4] The specific epithet (praecox) is a Latin word meaning "early ripe" or "premature". [5]

Distribution and habitat

The early rein orchid grows with grasses and sedges in forests between Coen and Proserpine. [2]

Related Research Articles

<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.

Diuris parvipetala, commonly known as slender purple donkey orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to eastern Australia. It usually has two leaves at its base and up to nine relatively small, whitish to mauve flowers with purple markings. It is an uncommon species found in northern New South Wales and southern Queensland.

<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.

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

Habenaria exilis, commonly known as the wispy rein orchid, 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.

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.

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 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.

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.

<i>Dendrobium tozerense</i> Species of orchid

Dendrobium tozerense, commonly known as the white gemini orchid, is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It has thin, wiry stems, stiff leaves and pairs of star-shaped, white flowers. It grows in rainforest in tropical North Queensland, Australia.

<i>Dendrobium malbrownii</i> Species of orchid

Dendrobium malbrownii, commonly known as the McIlwraith hermit orchid, is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid in the family Orchidaceae and is endemic to tropical North Queensland, Australia. It has thin, wiry, crowded stems each with narrow, dark green leaves and a single shiny, cream-coloured flower with a purple labellum. It grows on trees, fallen logs and rocks in rainforest on the McIlwraith Range.

<i>Plectorrhiza brevilabris</i> Species of orchid

Plectorrhiza brevilabris, commonly known as the small tangle orchid, is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid endemic to Australia. It has many coarse, wiry roots, between three and nine bright green leaves and up to twenty green, star-shaped flowers with reddish brown markings and a white patch on the labellum. It grows in rainforest on trees, shrubs and occasionally on rocks and occurs on the near coastal ranges of eastern Queensland.

References

  1. "Habenaria praecox". 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. 343. ISBN   1877069124.
  3. Lavarack, Peter S.; Dockrill, Alick W. (1999). "A new species of Habenaria Willd. (Orchidaceae) from North Queensland". Austrobaileya. 5 (2): 331–335.
  4. "Habenaria praecox". APNI. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
  5. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 629.