Common sphinx orchid | |
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Illustration of Liparis habenarina by Lewis Roberts | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Order: | Asparagales |
Family: | Orchidaceae |
Subfamily: | Epidendroideae |
Subtribe: | Malaxidinae |
Genus: | Liparis |
Species: | L. habenarina |
Binomial name | |
Liparis habenarina | |
Synonyms [1] | |
Liparis habenarina, commonly known as the common sphinx orchid [2] or common hobgoblin orchid, [3] 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.
Liparis habenarina is a terrestrial, deciduous herb with two underground pseudobulbs, each of which lasts for one season. There are usually three, thin, pleated, egg-shaped leaves 100–250 mm (4–10 in) and 20–40 mm (0.8–2 in) wide with five obvious veins. Between eight and twenty two brownish to purplish flowers, 10–25 mm (0.4–1 in) long and 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) wide are borne on an upright flowering stem 150–600 mm (6–20 in) long. The dorsal sepal is 5–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long, 1–2 mm (0.04–0.08 in) wide and turns downward. The lateral sepals are 5–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long, 1–3 mm (0.04–0.1 in) wide and joined to each other. The petals are a similar length but only about 1 mm (0.04 in) wide and curve downwards. The labellum is egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base and curves downwards. It is 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) long and 2–4 mm (0.08–0.2 in) wide with two ridges near its base, a greenish centre and wavy edges. Flowering occurs between January and May. [3] [4] [5]
The common sphinx orchid was first formally described in 1864 by Ferdinand von Mueller who gave it the name Sturmia habenarina and published the description in Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae . The description was based on a specimen collected near Rockingham Bay by John Dallachy. In the description, von Mueller noted Liparis habenarina as a synonym. [6] [7] In 1873, George Bentham changed the name to Liparis habenarina and published the name change in Flora Australiensis . [8] [9] The specific epithet (habenarina) refers to the similarity of this species to those in the orchid genus Habenaria . [2]
Liparis habenarina grows with grasses in the understorey of forests, usually near the edge of swamps in near-coastal areas. It is found in New South Wales north from Coffs Harbour, in coastal Queensland, the Northern Territory and the Northern Kimberley biogeographic region of Western Australia. [1] [5] [10] Authorities using the name Empusa habenarina list the range as extending to New Guinea and Indonesia. [3] [4]
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.
Patersonia maxwellii is a species of flowering plant in the iris family Iridaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is a tufted, rhizome-forming perennial herb with linear leaves and violet tepals.
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.
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.
Seringia integrifolia, commonly known as common firebush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae and endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small, much-branched shrub, its young growth densely covered with woolly, white or rust-coloured hairs. The leaves are oblong, 8.5–17 mm (0.33–0.67 in) long, more or less glabrous on the upper surface and densely covered with woolly white hairs on the lower surface. The flowers are arranged in small, loose groups with thin, egg-shaped bracts that fall off as the flowers open. The sepal lobes are broad, pointed, mostly 6.5–8.5 mm (0.26–0.33 in) long and the ovary has 5 carpels with about 4 ovules in each. The fruit is a spherical, softly hairy capsule.
Pityrodia hemigenioides is a flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a spreading shrub with densely hairy branches and leaves, and pale white flowers near the ends of the branches.
Thelymitra variegata, commonly called the Queen of Sheba, is a species of orchid in the family Orchidaceae and endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single erect, spiral, dark green leaf with a purplish base and up to five glossy, variegated reddish, purplish or violet flowers with darker spots and blotches and yellowish margins. There are two bright yellow or orange arms on the sides of the column.
Liparis coelogynoides, commonly known as the fairy sphinx orchid, 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.
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.
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.
Leucopogon plumuliflorus is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a weakly erect shrub with egg-shaped leaves and spikes of white or pinkish-white, tube-shaped flowers.
Hibbertia desmophylla is a species of flowering plant in the family Dilleniaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a sprawling or erect, hairy shrub with spreading, densely clustered, linear leaves and yellow flowers with eleven to thirteen stamens.
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.
Leucopogon bossiaea is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to a restricted area in the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with elliptic to broadly egg-shaped leaves and white flowers in four to eleven upper leaf axils.
Olearia nernstii is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a shrub with scattered egg-shaped to elliptic leaves with toothed or prickly edges, and white and yellow, daisy-like inflorescences.
Styphelia breviflora 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.
Leucopogon opponens 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, slender shrub with its leaves arranged in opposite pairs, and white, tube-shaped flowers.
Styphelia erubescens 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 shrub with variably-shaped leaves with a small, sharp point on the tip, and white, pink or red, tube-shaped flowers.
Leucopogon strongylophyllus is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with crowded egg-shaped or round leaves and white, tube-shaped flower arranged singly or in pairs in leaf axils.