Microtis arenaria

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Microtis arenaria
Microtis arenaria close.jpg
In Mount Remarkable National Park
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Genus: Microtis
Species:
M. arenaria
Binomial name
Microtis arenaria
Synonyms [1]

Microtis arenaria, commonly known as the notched onion orchid [2] or pale onion orchid, [3] is a species of orchid native to south-eastern Australia and New Zealand. It has a single hollow, onion-like leaf and up to sixty scented, crowded yellowish-green flowers. It is widespread and common, growing in a wide variety of habitats.

Contents

Description

Microtis arenaria is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single erect, smooth, tubular leaf 300–800 mm (10–30 in) long and 6–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide. Between ten and sixty yellowish-green, fragrant flowers are crowded along a flowering stem 350–600 mm (10–20 in) tall. The flowers are 3–3.5 mm (0.12–0.14 in) long and 2–2.5 mm (0.08–0.1 in) wide. The dorsal sepal is egg-shaped, 2.5 mm (0.1 in) long and wide with its tip turned slightly upwards. The lateral sepals are 2.5 mm (0.1 in) long, about 1 mm (0.04 in) wide with their tips rolled under. The petals are lance-shaped but curved, about 2 mm (0.08 in) long, 1 mm (0.04 in) wide and are held under the dorsal sepal. The labellum curves downwards and is 2–2.5 mm (0.08–0.1 in) long, about 1.3 mm (0.05 in) wide with scalloped edges and a shallow notch at the tip between two prominent lobes. There is an irregularly-shaped callus in the centre of the labellum. Flowering occurs from September to January. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

Microtis arenaria was first formally described in 1840 by John Lindley and the description was published in The Genera and Species of Orchidaceous Plants. [5] [6] The specific epithet (arenaria) is a Latin word meaning "sandy". [7]

Distribution and habitat

The pale onion orchid is widespread and common in south-eastern New South Wales, throughout Victoria, Tasmania and south-eastern South Australia. It grows in a range of habitats from sandhills to rocky inland outcrops but is most common in coastal sand. [2] [4] [8] Microtis arenaria also occurs on the North Island of New Zealand. [9] [10]

Related Research Articles

<i>Microtis unifolia</i> Species of orchid

Microtis unifolia, commonly known as the common onion orchid, is a species of orchid occurring from south China to Japan, Malesia, and Australasia to the Southwest Pacific. It has a single green leaf and up to one hundred small green or yellowish-green flowers. A common, widespread orchid which is easily grown in pots and is sometimes a weed in plant nurseries.

<i>Microtis parviflora</i> Species of orchid

Microtis parviflora, commonly known as the slender onion-orchid, is a species of orchid which is native to Australia and New Zealand. It occurs in all states of Australia but is not known from the Northern Territory and may not occur in Western Australia. As with others in the genus, it has a single erect, smooth, tubular leaf and up to eighty flowers on an erect flower spike.

<i>Caladenia clavigera</i> Species of orchid

Caladenia clavigera, commonly known as plain-lip spider orchid or clubbed spider orchid is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a ground orchid which grows as scattered individuals or in small colonies in Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia. It has a single leaf and one or two small yellowish-green and red flowers.

Pterostylis aphylla, commonly known as the leafless greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to Tasmania. As with similar greenhoods, the flowering plants differ from those which are not flowering. The non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves flat on the ground but in this species, the flowering plants have a single green and white flower with a brown tip and lack leaves apart from a few small scales.

<i>Genoplesium pumilum</i> Species of orchid

Genoplesium pumilum, commonly known as the green midge orchid in Australia, and the yellow gumland leek orchid in New Zealand is a small terrestrial orchid native to south-eastern Australia and New Zealand. It has a single thin leaf fused to the flowering stem and up to twenty five green to yellowish-green flowers which sometimes have red markings. Australian and New Zealand authorities use the name Corunastylis pumila.

Microtis alba, commonly known as the white mignonette orchid or slender onion-orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single hollow, onion-like leaf and up to sixty small, green and white flowers with a strong musky fragrance. It is much more common after a fire the previous summer than in unburned country.

Microtis angusii, commonly known as the Mona Vale onion orchid, and Angus's onion orchid is a species of orchid endemic to New South Wales. It has a single hollow, onion-like leaf and up to sixty small, crowded green flowers. It is only known from a single population near Ingleside where it grows in soil that may have been imported from elsewhere.

Microtis atrata, commonly known as the swamp mignonette orchid or yellow onion orchid and sometimes as Microtidium atratum, is a species of orchid endemic to southern Australia. It has a single thin leaf and up to forty or more yellowish-green flowers. The flowers are the smallest of any Australian ground-dwelling orchid. The orchid usually grows in large colonies after fire and although small, are easily seen because of their very large numbers in their blackened surroundings.

Microtis cupularis, commonly known as the cupped mignonette orchid sometimes as Hydrorchis cupularis, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single thin, hollow, onion-like leaf and up to thirty small, yellowish-green and red flowers. The plants often grow in shallow water and are self-pollinating.

Microtis quadrata, commonly known as the south coast mignonette orchid or south coast onion orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to south-west coastal areas of Western Australia. It has a single thin, hollow, onion-like leaf and up to one hundred small, pale green flowers. This onion orchid grows on low mounds in swamps, often with other species of mignonette orchids, and flowers much more prolifically after fire.

Microtis eremaea, commonly known as the slender mignonette orchid or inland onion orchid is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia and western South Australia. It has a single thin, hollow, onion-like leaf and up to fifty small greenish-yellow flowers. The flowers have a distinctive heart-shaped labellum and the orchid generally grows in more inland areas than most other onion orchids.

Microtis eremicola, commonly known as the desert mignonette orchid or dryland onion orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single hollow, onion-like leaf and up to fifty small, dull green to greenish-yellow flowers. This onion orchid is common in soil pockets on granite outcrops in inland areas, mostly between Hyden and Balladonia.

<i>Microtis oblonga</i> Species of orchid

Microtis oblonga, commonly known as the sweet onion orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single hollow, onion-like leaf and up to fifty scented, bright green flowers. It is considered by some Australian authorities to be synonymous with Microtis rara.

Microtis rara, commonly known as the scented onion orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Australia, with the exception of the Northern Territory. It has a single hollow, onion-like leaf and up to fifty small green or yellowish-green, scented flowers. It is similar to Microtis oblonga and some authorities regard the two as being one species.

Microtis graniticola, commonly known as the granite mignonette orchid or granite onion orchid is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single thin, hollow, onion-like leaf and up to sixty small green to greenish-yellow flowers. It grows in soil pockets on granite outcrops, especially where the soil receives run-off during rainy weather.

<i>Microtis orbicularis</i> Species of orchid

Microtis orbicularis, commonly known as the dark mignonette orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to southern Australia. It has a single thin, more or less hollow, onion-like leaf and up to fifty small yellowish-green and red flowers. The plants grow in winter-wet areas, often in shallow water and unlike the similar M. cupularis do not turn black as they dry.

Microtis pulchella, commonly known as the beautiful mignonette orchid or beautiful onion orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single hollow, onion-like leaf and up to twenty five white, thinly textured flowers with a slight perfume. It only flowers after fire and only sometimes produces short, thread-like leaves in the absence of fire.

Microtis oligantha, commonly known as the small onion orchid is a species of orchid endemic to New Zealand. It has a single thin, hollow, onion-like leaf and up to ten small green flowers. It differs from the other two onion orchids in New Zealand, in being a much smaller plant with a more pointed dorsal sepal.

<i>Corybas diemenicus</i> Species of orchid

Corybas diemenicus, commonly known as the stately helmet orchid or veined helmet orchid, is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has round or heart-shaped leaf and a reddish purple flower with a central white patch.

<i>Calochilus herbaceus</i> Species of orchid

Calochilus herbaceus, commonly known as the copper beard orchid or pale beard orchid, is a species of orchid native to south-eastern Australia and northern New Zealand. It has a single very short, rigid, fleshy leaf and up to eight pale green to brownish flowers with reddish stripes and a purple "beard".

References

  1. 1 2 "Microtis arenaria". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  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. 222–223. ISBN   1877069124.
  3. 1 2 Jones, David L. (2021). A Complete Guide to Native Orchids of Australia (3rd ed.). Sydney: Reed New Holland. p. 394. ISBN   9781921517709.
  4. 1 2 Jeanes, Jeff. "Microtis arenaria". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
  5. "Microtis arenaria". APNI. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
  6. Lindley, John (1840). The gnera and species of orchidaceous plants. London: Ridgways. p. 396. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
  7. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 100.
  8. Jones, David L. (1998). "Contributions to Tasmanian orchidology". Australian Orchid Research. 3: 11.
  9. "Microtis arenaria". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  10. "Microtis arenaria". New Zealand Native Orchids. Retrieved 13 January 2024.