Thelymitra alpina

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Mountain sun orchid
Thelymitra alpina.jpg
Thelymitra alpina growing near Brindabella
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Genus: Thelymitra
Species:
T. alpina
Binomial name
Thelymitra alpina

Thelymitra alpina, commonly known as the mountain sun orchid, [2] is a species of orchid that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single dark green leaf with a purplish base and up to twenty, usually blue to purplish flowers. It grows in alpine, subalpine and montane areas of New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and Victoria.

Contents

Description

Thelymitra alpina is a tuberous, perennial herb with a single erect, fleshy, channelled, linear to lance-shaped leaf 100–320 mm (4–10 in) long, 5–15 mm (0.2–0.6 in) wide. Between two and twenty blue to purplish, sometimes lilac, pink or white flowers 25–40 mm (1–2 in) wide are arranged on a flowering stem 150–800 mm (6–30 in) tall. The sepals and petals are 10–25 mm (0.4–1 in) long and 5–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) wide. The column is pale blue or pinkish, 3.5–5 mm (0.14–0.20 in) long and 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) wide. The lobe on the top of the anther is brown with a yellow, inflated, tubular tip with a V-shaped notch on the end. The side lobes have dense, mop-like tufts of white or pink hairs. Flowering occurs from October to January. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

Thelymitra alpina was first formally described in 2013 by Jeff Jeanes from a specimen collected in the Kosciuszko National Park and the description was published in Muelleria . [5] The specific epithet (alpina) is a Latin word meaning "of high mountains". [6]

Distribution and habitat

The mountain sun orchid sun orchid grows in grassy forest, meadow or woodland with snow gums, at altitudes of between 500 and 1,600 m (2,000 and 5,000 ft) in the highlands of New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and Victoria.

Related Research Articles

<i>Thelymitra nuda</i> Species of orchid

Thelymitra nuda, commonly known as the plain sun orchid is a species of orchid that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has a single fleshy, channelled leaf and up to twelve dark blue to purplish, sometimes white or pinkish flowers with white tufts on top of the anther. It grows in a range of habitats and sometimes forms large colonies.

<i>Thelymitra alcockiae</i> Species of orchid

Thelymitra alcockiae, commonly called Kath's sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to southern continental Australia. It has a single long, narrow leaf and up to twelve pale blue to deep purplish blue flowers, mauve or reddish on their back side.

<i>Thelymitra malvina</i> Species of orchid

Thelymitra malvina, commonly called the mauve-tufted sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is native to eastern Australia and New Zealand. It has a single large, fleshy leaf and up to twenty five blue to mauve flowers with pink or mauve tufts on top of the anther.

<i>Thelymitra megacalyptra</i> Species of orchid

Thelymitra megacalyptra, commonly called the plains sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has a single erect, fleshy leaf and up to fifteen blue to purplish, sometimes lilac, pink or white flowers with white tufts on top of the anther. It is known as Thelymitra megcalyptra by some authorities.

Thelymitra queenslandica, commonly called the northern sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to Queensland. It has a single long, grass-like leaf and up to fifteen dark blue to purplish, sometimes white or pinkish flowers with white or pink tufts on top of the anther. It is readily distinguished by its northerly distribution and early flowering period.

<i>Thelymitra basaltica</i> Species of orchid

Thelymitra basaltica, commonly called the grassland sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to Victoria. It has a single fleshy, channelled, dark green leaf and up to eight small pale blue, self-pollinating flowers which open only slowly on warm to hot days.

Thelymitra bracteata, commonly called the leafy sun orchid or large-bracted sum orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single leathery, more or less flat leaf and up to thirty pale blue flowers that are greenish on the back. The bracts are larger than on similar sun orchids.

<i>Thelymitra brevifolia</i> Species of orchid

Thelymitra brevifolia, commonly called the peppertop sun orchid or short-leaf sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single erect, relatively short and broad, dark green leaf and up to twenty purplish or purplish blue flowers. It is a common and widespread self-pollinating species occurring in a wide range of habitats.

Thelymitra exigua, commonly called the short sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single fleshy, channelled, dark green leaf and up to eight relatively small pale blue flowers with white toothbrush-like tufts on top of the anther.

Thelymitra pallidiflora, commonly called the pale sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to Victoria. It has a single erect, channelled, leaf and up to ten white to very pale blue, self-pollinating flowers which only open on hot days.

<i>Thelymitra peniculata</i> Species of orchid

Thelymitra peniculata, commonly called the trim sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to southern eastern Australia. It has a single long, erect, fleshy, channelled leaf and up to eighteen deep blue to purple self-pollinating flowers.

Thelymitra planicola, commonly called the glaucous sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to southern eastern Australia. It has a single erect, leathery, channelled, dark green leaf and up to twelve blue flowers with darker veins. The plant has a bluish green hue and the flowers are self-pollinating, only opening widely on hot days.

Thelymitra reflexa, commonly called the reflexed sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to Victoria. It has a single erect, fleshy, channelled leaf and up to six bluish purple flowers. The sepals and petals are strongly turned back towards the ovary but only on hot days when the flowers open.

Thelymitra inflata, commonly called the inflated sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to south eastern Australia. It has a single long, erect, linear leaf and up to six dark blue to purplish flowers with a very inflated lobe on top of the anther.

Thelymitra lucida, commonly called the glistening sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to south eastern Australia. It has a single erect, fleshy leaf and up to seven dark blue flowers with the sepals a lighter blue than the petals.

<i>Thelymitra azurea</i> Species of orchid

Thelymitra azurea, commonly called the azure sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single fleshy, grass-like leaf and up to ten dark azure blue flowers with darker veins. The lobe on top of the anther has a toothed or warty tip.

Thelymitra latiloba, commonly called the wandoo sun orchid or wandoo shirt orchid, is a species of orchid in the family Orchidaceae and endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single erect, fleshy, channelled, dark green leaf and up to twelve blue flowers with darker blue veins and sometimes flushed with mauve. The lobe on top of the anther is wavy.

Thelymitra alpicola, commonly called the alpine striped sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has a single erect, dark green grass-like leaf and up to six relatively large, deep purplish blue flowers with darker streaks. It grows in subalpine to montane habitats.

Thelymitra incurva, commonly called the coastal striped sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single erect, dark green grass-like leaf and up to seven relatively large, pale blue flowers lacking the darker veins of some other thelymitras, especially the otherwise similar striped sun orchid. It grows in coastal areas of far south-eastern New South Wales and north-eastern Victoria.

Thelymitra atronitida, commonly called the black-hooded orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single erect, leathery, leaf and up to eight moderately dark blue, self-pollinating flowers that only open on hot days.

References

  1. "Thelymitra alpina". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  2. 1 2 Jones, David L. (2006). A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. p. 229. ISBN   1877069124.
  3. Jeanes, Jeffrey A. (2013). "An overview of the Thelymitra nuda (Orchidaceae) complex in Australia including the description of six new species" (PDF). Muelleria. 31: 26–27. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
  4. Jeanes, Jeff; Stajsic, Val. "Thelymitra alcockiae". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
  5. "Thelymitra alpina". APNI. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
  6. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 536.