Oberonia complanata

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Southern green fairy orchid
LR058 72dpi Oberonia complanata.jpg
Illustration by Lewis Roberts
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Genus: Oberonia
Species:
O. complanata
Binomial name
Oberonia complanata
Synonyms [1]
  • Dendrobium complanatumA.Cunn.
  • Oberonia iridifoliaF.Muell.
  • Oberonia muellerianaSchltr.
  • Oberonia fitzgeraldianaSchltr.

Oberonia complanata, commonly known as the southern green fairy orchid [2] or yellow-flowered king of the fairies, [3] is a plant in the orchid family and is a clump-forming epiphyte. It has between three and eight leaves in a fan-like arrangement on each shoot and up to three hundred tiny cream-coloured or greenish flowers arranged in whorls around the flowering stem. It is endemic to eastern Australia.

Contents

Description

Oberonia complanata is an epiphytic, clump-forming herb. Each shoot has between three and eight fleshy, oblong to lance-shaped, yellowish green leaves 80–150 mm (3.1–5.9 in) long and about 15 mm (0.59 in) wide with their bases overlapping. Between 150 and 300 cream-coloured or greenish flowers about 2.5 mm (0.098 in) long and 1.0 mm (0.039 in) wide are arranged in whorls on an arching flowering stem 100–200 mm (3.9–7.9 in) long. The sepals and petals are egg-shaped to triangular, spread widely apart from each other and about 1.5 mm (0.059 in) long. The labellum is green, about 1.5 mm (0.059 in) long and wide with three obscure lobes, the middle lobe with a notched tip. Flowering occurs between February and July. [2] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

The southern green fairy orchid was first formally described in 1839 by Allan Cunningham who gave it the name Dendrobium complanatum and published the description in Edwards's Botanical Register . [5] In 1989 Mark Clements and David Jones changed the name to Oberonia complanata. [6] The specific epithet (complanata) is a Latin word meaning "flattened". [7] [8]

Distribution and habitat

Oberonia complanata grows on trees and rocks in rainforest between Gympie in Queensland and Coffs Harbour in New South Wales. [2] [4]

Conservation

This orchid is classed as "endangered" in New South Wales under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 . It has recently been seen in the Lismore district and near Mount Warning but has not been seen near Coffs Harbour since 1961. The main threats to the species are land clearing, habitat degradation and illegal collecting. [3]

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

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<i>Dendrobium adae</i>

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<i>Dendrobium bowmanii</i>

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

Dendrobium racemosum, commonly known as the erect pencil orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to tropical North Queensland. It is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid with yellowish stems, cylindrical dark green leaves and flowering stems with between eight and fifteen cream-coloured to pale yellow flowers with a thread-like tip on the labellum. It grows on trees and rocks in exposed positions in highland areas and in the tops of rainforest trees at lower altitudes.

Dendrobium eungellensis, is an epiphytic orchid in the family Orchidaceae and is endemic to northern Queensland. It has dark greenish brown pseudobulbs with up to three leaves on the end and up to eight fragrant white flowers with thin, spreading sepals and petals. It grows in open forest in the Eungella National Park.

Dendrobium deuteroeburneum, commonly known as the rainforest feather orchid, is a species of epiphytic or lithophytic orchid that is endemic to eastern Australia. Its pseudobulbs are cylindrical, pressed against the host tree or rock and have one or two leathery, dark green leaves and up to seven pale greenish cream-coloured flowers with purple markings on the labellum.

Oberonia attenuata, commonly known as the Mossman fairy orchid, is a plant in the orchid family and is a small epiphyte. It has between four and seven leaves in a fan-like arrangement and large numbers of tiny reddish brown flowers on a pendulous flowering stem. It is only known from Mossman Gorge. The species was first formally described in 1960 but no further observations of the species were made, and it was presumed extinct until 2015.

Oberonia carnosa, commonly known as the rockpile fairy orchid, is a plant in the orchid family and is a clump-forming epiphyte. It has between four and six leaves in a fan-like arrangement and large numbers of tiny orange brown flowers arranged in whorls around the flowering stem.

<i>Oberonia crateriformis</i> Species of orchid

Oberonia crateriformis, commonly known as the cratered fairy orchid, is a plant in the orchid family and is a clump-forming epiphyte or lithophyte. It has between four and six leaves in a fan-like arrangement on each shoot and a large number of pale red flowers arranged in whorls of eight around the flowering stem. It is endemic to Queensland.

Oberonia flavescens, commonly known as the northern green fairy orchid, is a plant in the orchid family and is a clump-forming epiphyte or lithophyte. It has between four and six leaves in a fan-like arrangement on each shoot and a large number of whitish to yellowish flowers arranged in whorls of between six and eight around the flowering stem. It is endemic to Queensland.

Oberonia rimachila, commonly known as the channelled fairy orchid, is a plant in the orchid family and is a clump-forming epiphyte or lithophyte. It has between five and seven leaves in a fan-like arrangement on each shoot and a large number of pinkish flowers arranged in whorls of between eight and ten around the flowering stem. It is endemic to Queensland.

Octarrhena pusilla, commonly known as the wispy grub orchid, is an epiphytic or lithophytic plant in the orchid family. It has thin roots, usually only a single stem, between three and six fleshy, cylindrical leaves and up to twenty small, white to cream-coloured flowers. This orchid is endemic to tropical North Queensland.

<i>Pholidota imbricata</i> Species of orchid

Pholidota imbricata, commonly known as the common rattlesnake orchid or necklace orchid, is a plant in the orchid family and is a clump-forming epiphyte or lithophyte with crowded pseudobulbs. Each pseudobulb has a single pleated, leathery leaf and up to sixty white, cream-coloured or greenish, cup-shaped flowers in two ranks along a wiry flowering stem. There is a large, papery bract at the base of each flower. This species is native to areas from tropical and subtropical Asia to the southwest Pacific.

Phreatia crassiuscula, commonly known as the green caterpillar orchid, is a plant in the orchid family and is an epiphyte or lithophyte with three to six fleshy, channelled leaves in a fan-like arrangement. Up to sixty tiny white, cream-coloured or greenish flowers are arranged along a curved flowering stem. It is endemic to tropical North Queensland.

References

  1. 1 2 "Oberonia complanata". 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. 469–470. ISBN   1877069124.
  3. 1 2 "Yellow-flowered King of the Fairies - profile". New South Wales Government Office of Environment and Heritage. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  4. 1 2 Weston, Pete H. "Oberonia complanata". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  5. "Dendrobium complanatum". APNI. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  6. "Oberonia complanata". APNI. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  7. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 224.
  8. "Oberonia complanata (an orchid) - endangered species listing". New South Wales Government Office of Environment and Heritage. Retrieved 15 January 2019.