Microtis eremaea

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Slender mignonette orchid
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Genus: Microtis
Species:
M. eremaea
Binomial name
Microtis eremaea
Synonyms [1]

Microtis eremaea, commonly known as the slender mignonette orchid [2] or inland onion orchid [3] 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.

Contents

Description

Microtis eremaea is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single erect, smooth, tubular leaf 300–450 mm (10–20 in) long and 3–8 mm (0.1–0.3 in) wide. Between ten and fifty yellowish-green flowers are crowded along a flowering stem 300–400 mm (10–20 in) tall. The flowers are 2–2.5 mm (0.08–0.1 in) long, 1.5–2 mm (0.06–0.08 in) wide with an ovary 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long. The dorsal sepal is 2–2.5 mm (0.08–0.1 in) long, about 1 mm (0.04 in) wide and hood-like. The lateral sepals are about 2 mm (0.08 in) long, 1 mm (0.04 in) wide with their tips rolled downwards. The petals are 1.5 mm (0.06 in) long, 1 mm (0.04 in) wide and are partly enclosed by the dorsal sepal. The labellum is heart-shaped, 1.5–2 mm (0.06–0.08 in) long, about 1 mm (0.04 in) wide and curves downwards with slightly wavy edges. Flowering occurs from August to October. [2] [3] [4] [5]

Taxonomy and naming

Microtis eremaea was first formally described in 1996 by Robert Bates from a specimen collected on a granite outcrop west of Mount Magnet and the description was published in Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Garden . [6] The specific epithet (eremaea) is derived from Latin eremaea, referring to the arid habitat of this orchid. [4]

Distribution and habitat

Microtis eremaea mostly grows on granite outcrops or near temporary watercourses, sometimes forming dense colonies. It is found between Balladonia and Cue in Western Australia and in the west of South Australia. [2] [3] [4]

Conservation

Microtis eremaea is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife. [7]

Related Research Articles

<i>Cyrtostylis huegelii</i> Species of orchid

Cyrtostylis huegelii, commonly known as the western common gnat orchid or midge orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Western Australia. It usually has a single rounded leaf and a flowering spike with up to fifteen pale green and dull red flowers with a purplish, shelf-like labellum. Some authorities regard C. huegelii as a synonym of Cyrtostylis reniformis var. huegelii.

<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>Microtis media <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> media</i> Subspecies of orchid

Microtis media subsp. media, commonly known as the common mignonette orchid, is a species of orchid which is endemic to the south–west of Western Australia. It is a common, widespread orchid with a single smooth, tubular leaf and a flowering spike with up to one hundred small green flowers. It differs from Microtis media subsp. densiflora in the shape of its flower spike and the shape of its labellum.

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.

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

Microtis arenaria, commonly known as the notched onion orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to south-eastern Australia. 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.

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 brownii, commonly known as the sweet mignonette orchid or sweet 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 scented flowers well-spaced along the flowering stem. It usually grows in swampy places, flowers more prolifically after summer fires and sometimes forms very large colonies.

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 media subsp. densiflora, commonly known as the dense mignonette orchid, is a species of orchid which is endemic to the south–west of Western Australia. It has a single smooth, tubular leaf and a flowering spike with up to one hundred and fifty small yellowish-green flowers. It differs from Microtis media subsp. media in the shape of its flower spike and the shape of its labellum.

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 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.

Microtis familiaris, commonly known as the coastal mignonette orchid or coastal onion orchid is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west coastal region of Western Australia. It has a single hollow, onion-like leaf and up to twenty small, green to greenish-yellow, sweetly scented, widely spaced flowers. It often grows with large populations of other Microtis orchids but only flowers after fire.

Microtis globula, commonly known as the globular mignonette orchid or globular onion orchid is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west coastal region of Western Australia. It has a single hollow, onion-like leaf and up to thirty five small greenish-yellow, almost globe-shaped flowers. It often grows in large colonies but only flowers after hot fires the previous summer.

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>Caleana granitica</i> Species of flowering plant

Caleana granitica, commonly known as the granite duck orchid is a species of orchid that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a species of duck orchid with a single smooth leaf and a single greenish yellow and red flower with the labellum held below the horizontal. It grows on a single granite outcrop near Armadale.

References

  1. 1 2 "Microtis eremaea". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  2. 1 2 3 Brown, Andrew; Dundas, Pat; Dixon, Kingsley; Hopper, Stephen (2008). Orchids of Western Australia. Crawley, Western Australia: University of Western Australia Press. p. 285. ISBN   9780980296457.
  3. 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. 223. ISBN   1877069124.
  4. 1 2 3 Bates, Robert J. (1996). "Arid land Microtis (Orchidaceae) in Western Australia with the description of three new taxa" (PDF). Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Garden. 17: 119–120. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  5. Hoffman, Noel; Brown, Andrew (2011). Orchids of South-West Australia (3rd ed.). Gooseberry Hill: Noel Hoffman. p. 344. ISBN   9780646562322.
  6. "Microtis eremaea". APNI. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  7. "Microtis eremaea". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.