Liparis coelogynoides

Last updated

Fairy sphinx orchid
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Subtribe: Malaxidinae
Genus: Liparis
Species:
L. coelogynoides
Binomial name
Liparis coelogynoides
Synonyms [1]

Liparis coelogynoides, commonly known as the fairy sphinx orchid, [2] is a plant in the orchid family and is endemic to near-coastal eastern Australia. It is an epiphytic orchid with two leaves joined at the base and that grows in clumps. Greenish white or yellowish flowers are borne on an often hanging spike. It grows on trees and cliff faces usually on ranges near the coast of northern New South Wales and southern Queensland.

Contents

Description

Liparis coelogynoides is an epiphytic herb with oval to almost spherical pseudobulbs 8–12 mm (0.3–0.5 in) and 12–16 mm (0.5–0.6 in) wide. There are usually two linear to narrow egg-shaped, pale green, stalkless leaves, 50–150 mm (2–6 in), 8–15 mm (0.3–0.6 in) wide and folded lengthwise. Between eight and twenty greenish white or yellowish flowers, 11–14 mm (0.4–0.6 in) long and 10–12 mm (0.39–0.47 in) wide are borne on an often hanging flowering stem 100–200 mm (4–8 in) long. The sepals are all free from each other, 7–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long, about 1.5 mm (0.06 in) wide and spread widely apart from each other. The petals are 6–9 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long and about 1 mm (0.04 in) wide. The labellum is wedge-shaped, bends downwards, 8–11 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long and 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) wide with irregular teeth on the edge. Flowering occurs between November and March. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

The fairy sphinx orchid was first formally described in 1860 by Ferdinand von Mueller who gave it the name Sturmia coelogynoides and published the description in Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae . The description was based on a collection made by Ludwig Becker near the headwaters of the Clarence River. [5] [6] In 1873, George Bentham changed the name to Liparis coelogynoides and published the change in Flora Australiensis . [7] [8] The specific epithet (coelogynoides) refers to the similarity of this species to orchids in the genus Coelogyne - the ending -oides is a Latin suffix meaning "like", "resembling" or "having the form of". [9]

Distribution and habitat

Liparis coelogynoides is widespread and common, growing on trees and rocky escarpments in rainforest between the Bunya Mountains in Queensland and the Hunter River in New South Wales. [2] [3]

Related Research Articles

<i>Olearia axillaris</i> Species of plant

Olearia axillaris, commonly known as coastal daisy-bush, coast daisy-bush or coastal daisybush is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to coastal areas of Australia. It is an erect, bushy shrub with densely cottony-hairy branchlets, aromatic, linear to narrowly elliptic or narrowly lance-shaped to egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base and small white and yellow, daisy-like inflorescences.

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

Dendrobium gracilicaule, commonly known as the blotched cane orchid or yellow cane orchid, is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It has cylindrical pseudobulbs, between three and seven thin leaves and up to thirty often drooping, cream-coloured to yellow or greenish flowers, sometimes with reddish brown blotches on the back. There are two varieties, one occurring in Queensland and New South Wales and the other on some Pacific Islands, including Lord Howe Island.

<i>Bulbophyllum baileyi</i> Species of orchid from Australia and New Guinea

Bulbophyllum baileyi, commonly known as the fruit fly orchid, is a species of epiphytic or lithophytic orchid that is native to Queensland and New Guinea. It has coarse, creeping rhizomes, curved, yellowish pseudobulbs with a single thick, fleshy leaf, and a single cream-coloured flower with yellow, red or purple spots. It grows on trees and rocks in open forest, often in exposed places.

<i>Bulbophyllum elisae</i> Species of orchid

Bulbophyllum elisae, commonly known as the pineapple orchid, is a species of epiphytic or lithophytic orchid that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has crowded, wrinkled, pale green or yellowish clump-forming pseudobulbs, stiff, pale green to yellowish leaves and between three and twelve pale green to dark green flowers with a dark red to purple labellum. It usually grows in the tops of rainforest trees, on cliff faces or boulders.

Bulbophyllum minutissimum, commonly known as the red bead orchid or grain-of-wheat orchid, is a species of epiphytic or lithophytic orchid with small, flattened, reddish or green pseudobulbs, scale-like leaves and small whitish to reddish flowers with broad dar red stripes. It grows on trees and rocks, mostly in swamps and near streams in eastern Australia.

<i>Bulbophyllum shepherdii</i> Species of orchid

Bulbophyllum shepherdii, commonly known as the wheat-leaf rope orchid, is a species of epiphytic or lithophytic orchid that forms a dense mat of branching rhizomes pressed against the surface on which it grows. The pseudobulbs are well spaced along the rhizome, each with a single egg-shaped leaf and a single small, white or cream-coloured flower with yellow tips. It grows on trees and rocks in rainforest and is endemic to eastern Australia.

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

Dendrobium smillieae, commonly known as the bottlebrush orchid, is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid with large, spongy pseudobulbs, thin, bright green leaves which are shed after their first year and crowded flowers in a bottlebrush-like arrangement. The flowers are white, to cream-coloured or pink and the labellum has a shiny, dark green tip. This orchid species is found in some of the Torres Strait Islands, and through Cape York Peninsula to Townsville, Queensland. It is also found in New Guinea and eastern Indonesia.

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

Dendrobium moorei, commonly known as the drooping cane orchid, is a species of epiphytic or lithophytic orchid in the family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Lord Howe Island. It has cylindrical pseudobulbs, leathery, dark green leaves and between two and fifteen small, white drooping flowers that do not open widely.

<i>Pentaceras</i> Genus of trees

Pentaceras australe, commonly known as bastard crow's ash, penta ash or black teak, is the only species in the genus Pentaceras in the plant family Rutaceae. It is a small to medium-sized rainforest tree endemic to eastern Australia. It has pinnate leaves with up to fifteen leaflets, small white flowers arranged in panicles on the ends of branchlets, and winged seeds.

<i>Liparis habenarina</i> Species of orchid

Liparis habenarina, commonly known as the common sphinx orchid or common hobgoblin orchid, is a plant in the orchid family and is endemic to Australia. It is a deciduous, terrestrial orchid with two or three egg-shaped leaves and between eight and twenty-two brownish to purplish flowers with their lateral sepals joined at the base. It grows in the understorey of near-coastal forests.

<i>Eulophia venosa</i> Species of orchid

Eulophia venosa, commonly known as the pointed corduroy orchid, is a plant in the orchid family and is native to India, parts of Southeast Asia as well as New Guinea and northern Australia. It is a deciduous, terrestrial orchid with one large and one small leaf and between six and twenty pale green or yellowish flowers with purple markings. It grows in rainforest and grassy forests.

Dendrobium fellowsii, commonly known as the native damsel orchid, is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid in the family Orchidaceae and has upright pseudobulbs, up to five leaves and groups of up to five pale green or yellowish flowers with a deep purple labellum. It grows in tropical North Queensland.

<i>Sarcochilus hillii</i> Species of orchid

Sarcochilus hillii, commonly known as myrtle bells, is a small epiphytic orchid native to eastern Australia and New Caledonia. It has up to ten drooping, quill-shaped leaves and up to ten frosty white or pink flowers that have a hairy labellum with purple stripes.

Liparis angustilabris, commonly known as the twisted sphinx orchid, is a plant in the orchid family and is endemic to northern Queensland. It is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid with tapered pseudobulbs, each with a single linear leaf and up to thirty five pale green to yellowish flowers that have twisted sepals and petals. This orchid grows on trees and rocks in tropical North Queensland.

<i>Olearia exiguifolia</i> Species of Asteraceae

Olearia exiguifolia commonly known as small-leaved daisy bush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to south-western Australia. It is an erect or straggly shrub with broadly egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, and white and yellow, daisy-like inflorescences.

Lasiopetalum laxiflorum is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a sticky, straggling subshrub or shrub with many densely hairy stems, egg-shaped leaves, and bright pink and dark red flowers.

<i>Olearia ferresii</i> Species of Asteraceae

Olearia ferresii is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to central Australia. It is an erect, aromatic shrub with elliptic to lance-shaped leaves and white and yellow, daisy-like inflorescences.

Olearia gravis is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a shrub with elliptic or egg-shaped leaves and white and yellow, daisy-like inflorescences.

<i>Leucopogon breviflorus</i> Species of plant

Leucopogon breviflorus is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, spindly, glabrous shrub that typically grows to a height of up to about 1.5 m. It has oblong to lance-shaped or linear leaves 4–9 mm (0.16–0.35 in) long on a short petiole and with a small, rigid point on the tip. The flowers are borne singly or in pairs in leaf axils on a short peduncle with small bracts and bracteoles about half as long as the sepals. The sepals are about 2 mm (0.079 in) long and the petals white and about 4 mm (0.16 in) long, the petal lobes longer than the petal tube.

<i>Olearia xerophila</i> Species of plant

Olearia xerophila is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae and is endemic northern Australia. It is an erect subshrub with elliptic to broadly elliptic leaves and violet, blue or mauve and yellow, daisy-like inflorescences.

References

  1. 1 2 "Liparis coelogynoides". 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. 463–464. ISBN   1877069124.
  3. 1 2 Harden, Gwen, ed. (1993). Flora of New South Wales (Volume 4). Kensington, N.S.W.: New South Wales University Press. pp. 226–227. ISBN   0868401889.
  4. Weston, Peter H. "Cestichis coelogynoides". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  5. "Sturmia coelogynoides". APNI. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  6. von Mueller, Ferdinand (1860). Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae. Vol. 2. Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer. pp. 71–72. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  7. "Liparis coelogynoides". APNI. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  8. Bentham, George; von Mueller, Ferdinand (1873). Flora Australiensis. Vol. 6. London: Lovell Reeve & Co. p. 273. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  9. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 483.