Thelymitra hygrophila

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Blue star sun orchid
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: Thelymitra
Species:
T. hygrophila
Binomial name
Thelymitra hygrophila

Thelymitra hygrophila, commonly known as the blue star sun orchid, [2] is a species of orchid in the family Orchidaceae and is endemic to a small area of South Australia. It has a single erect, fleshy, channelled leaf and up to five pale blue to cornflower blue flowers which open on warm, humid days. Much of its formal habitat has been cleared and the species is now critically endangered.

Contents

Description

Thelymitra hygrophila is a tuberous, perennial herb with a single erect, fleshy, channelled, linear to lance-shaped leaf 100–300 mm (4–10 in) long and 2–6 mm (0.08–0.2 in) wide. Up to five pale blue to cornflower blue flowers, 15–20 mm (0.6–0.8 in) wide are borne on a flowering stem 200–400 mm (8–20 in) tall. The sepals and petals are 7–11 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long and 3–8 mm (0.1–0.3 in) wide. The column is pale blue, 5–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) wide. The lobe on the top of the anther is sharply curved and dark brown to black with a yellow, deeply notched tip. The side lobes curve forwards and have dense tufts of white hairs on their ends. The flowers open on warm, humid days in October. [3] [2]

Taxonomy and naming

Thelymitra hygrophila was first formally described in 2010 by Robert Bates from a specimen he collected near Springton in 2004. The description was published in the Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Garden . [4] The specific epithet (hygrophila) is said to be derived from the Ancient Greek hygros meaning "water" and phelos meaning "love", [3] referring to the habitat preference of this species. [3] In Ancient Greek, the proper word for "water" is however hydōr (ὕδωρ), while hygros (ὑγρός) means "wet", "moist" or "fluid". [5] Phēlos (φῆλος) actually means "deceitful" in Ancient Greek, while "love" (in the sense of affection or fondness) is philia (φιλία) or philos (φῖλος). [5]

Distribution and habitat

The blue star sun orchid grows in rich soils near river red gum and temporary ponds with rushes and sedges in the Murray and Southern Lofty botanical regions. [3]

Conservation

The range of T. hygrophila has been considerably reduced by land clearing. In 2010 the species was recorded in three locations but it has not been seen since. It is listed as "vulnerable" in South Australia and as "critically endangered" under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). The main threats to the species are land clearing and drying of the pools and other moist areas where it grows, due to changed drainage patterns. [2]

Related Research Articles

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

Thelymitra cyanea, commonly known as the veined sun orchid in Australia and as the swamp sun orchid or striped sun orchid in New Zealand, is a species of orchid which is native to New Zealand and south-eastern Australia. It has a single erect, fleshy, channelled leaf and up to five bright blue flowers with darker blue veins. It is usually found growing in swamps, sphagnum bogs, and subalpine herbfields, often in clonal colonies.

<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 megacalyptra</i> Species of orchid

Thelymitra megacalyptra, known as Thelymitra megcalyptra in Australia, and commonly known as 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.

<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 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 cyanapicata, commonly called the dark-tipped sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to South Australia. It has a single fleshy, linear, channelled leaf and up to three small blue or pale purplish to maroon flowers with a dark purplish blue top of the anther.

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

Thelymitra granitora, commonly called the coastal granite sun orchid or coastal sun orchid, is a species of orchid in the family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single short, curved and channelled dark green leaf and up to eight relatively large pale blue or white, self-pollinating flowers with white mop-like tufts on the top of the anther.

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

Thelymitra holmesii, commonly called the blue star sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single long, narrow, fleshy leaf and up to nine purplish blue to mauve flowers with a deeply notched lobe on top of the anther.

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

Thelymitra mucida, commonly called the plum sun orchid or plum orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to southern Australia. It has a single erect, fleshy, linear leaf and up to six blue, purplish or plum coloured flowers with a thick, sticky secretion on the anther lobe.

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

Thelymitra epipactoides, commonly called the metallic sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It has a single relatively large, leathery leaf and up to twenty large flowers that range in colour from pink to reddish but have a distinctive arrangement of lobes above the anther.

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

Thelymitra improcera, commonly called the coastal sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single erect, fleshy leaf and up to eight relatively small pale to bright blue flowers on a short flowering stem. The lobe on top of the anther is unusually short and lobed.

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

Thelymitra canaliculata, commonly called the flushed sun orchid or blue sun orchid is a species of orchid in the family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single erect, fleshy leaf and up to twenty eight blue flowers with darker veins and sometimes flushed with pink. The lobe on top of the anther is blackish with a yellow crest.

Thelymitra jonesii, commonly called the skyblue sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to Tasmania. It has a single erect, fleshy, linear, dark green leaf and up to six relatively small light blue to azure blue flowers with darker veins. It is a rare orchid known from only four scattered locations in moist coastal heath.

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 crenulata is a species of orchid in the family Orchidaceae and is endemic to a small area of South Australia. It has a single, fleshy linear leaf and up to seven deep blue flowers with darker lines. It was only discovered in 2003, but is sometimes common in its range near Mount Gambier after wet weather in spring.

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

Thelymitra glaucophylla is a species of orchid that is endemic to South Australia. It has a single erect, channelled, pale green leaf and up to fifteen pale blue, mauve or white flowers with an inflated, greyish lobe on top of the anther.

Thelymitra merraniae, known as Thelymitra × merraniae by some Australian authorities, and commonly called Merran's sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single tapering, fleshy, channelled, dark green leaf and up to six dark blue to purplish flowers. It is a possibly a natural hybrid but its parentage is uncertain.

Thelymitra latifolia is a species of orchid in the family Orchidaceae and is endemic to South Australia. It has a single broad, flat, dark green and reddish leaf and up to eight blue to mauve flowers which only open on warm, humid days.

Thelymitra odora is a rare species of orchid in the family Orchidaceae and is endemic to a small area of South Australia. It has a single erect, channelled, linear leaf and up to four deep blue flowers. It is similar to T. pauciflora but is distinguished from that species by its slaty grey flower buds and a different lobe on top of the anther.

References

  1. ↑ "Thelymitra hygrophila". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  2. 1 2 3 "Conservation advice Thelymitra hygrophila" (PDF). Australian Government Department of Environment. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Bates, Robert J. (2010). "The Thelymitra pauciflora R.Br. complex (Orchidaceae) in South Australia with the description of seven new taxa" (PDF). Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Garden. 24: 24–25. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  4. ↑ "Thelymitra hygrophila". APNI. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  5. 1 2 Liddell, H.G. & Scott, R. (1940). A Greek-English Lexicon. revised and augmented throughout by Sir Henry Stuart Jones with the assistance of Roderick McKenzie. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
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