Thelymitra ixioides

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Spotted sun orchid
Sun Orchid Bairne Track.jpg
Thelymitra ixioides in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park
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. ixioides
Binomial name
Thelymitra ixioides
Synonyms [1]

Thelymitra ixioides, known as the spotted sun orchid [2] or dotted sun orchid, [3] is a species of orchid that is native to southern and eastern Australia and to New Zealand. It has a single long, thin, dark green leaf and up to ten flowers which occur in a range of colours, most commonly blue to purple but usually with small, dark blue spots. It is a variable species, similar to T. juncifolia which has smaller flowers.

Contents

Description

Thelymitra ixioides is a tuberous, perennial herb with a single channelled or corrugated, dark green thread-like to lance-shaped leaf 200–300 mm (8–10 in) long and 10–15 mm (0.4–0.6 in) wide with a purplish base. Between two and ten usually blue to purple flowers with small darker blue spots, 30–40 mm (1–2 in) wide are borne on a flowering stem 300–600 mm (10–20 in) tall. The flowers are sometimes pinkish, greenish or white and occasionally lack spots. The sepals and petals are 15–20 mm (0.6–0.8 in) long and 9–12 mm (0.4–0.5 in) wide. The column is white or blue, 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) long and about 3 mm (0.1 in) wide. The lobe on the top of the anther is yellow with a dark blue band on the back and several rows of crowded, finger-like glands with yellow or orange tips. The side lobes have dense, toothbrush-like tufts of white, pink or bluish hairs. The flowers are sometimes self-pollinating but more commonly insect pollinated. Flowering occurs from September to December. [2] [3] [4] [5]

Taxonomy and naming

Thelymitra ixioides was first formally described in 1805 by the Swedish botanist, Olof Swartz and the description was published in Neues Journal für die Botanik. [6] [7] The specific epithet (ixioides) refers to a perceived similarity to plants in the genus Ixia . [5] The ending -oides is a Latin suffix meaning "likeness". [8]

Distribution and habitat

The spotted sun orchid is widespread and common in Australia, less so in New Zealand. It grows in a wide range of habitats but is most common in heath and forest. It is found in the Darling Downs of Queensland, on the coast and tablelands of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, in most of Victoria, in south-eastern South Australia and in Tasmania. In New Zealand it occurs on both the North and South Islands. [2] [3]

Related Research Articles

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

Thelymitra aristata, commonly called the great sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single large, thick leaf and bracts and up to forty crowded blue or purplish flowers with darker veins.

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

Thelymitra purpurata, commonly called the wallum sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has up to ten purplish flowers with long, finger-like glands on the top of the column and flowers earlier in the season than most other thelymitras.

<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.

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

Thelymitra arenaria, commonly called the forest sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single long, narrow leaf and up to sixteen purplish self-pollinating flowers which only open on hot days.

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.

<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.

<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 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.

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

Thelymitra juncifolia, known as the large-spotted sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to south-eastern Australia and to New Zealand. It has a single thin, dark green leaf and up to five blue flowers with relatively large, dark blue spots on the dorsal sepal and petals. It is similar to T. ixioides but has fewer, smaller flowers with larger dark blue spots.

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

Thelymitra simulata, commonly called the collared sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single fleshy, channelled leaf and up to six blue flowers with small darker spots. It grows in higher altitudes places part and the flowers have a purple lobe with a yellow tip on top of the anther.

Thelymitra sparsa, commonly called the wispy sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to Tasmania. It has a single erect, fleshy leaf and up to six relatively small blue flowers with a few small darker spots. The flowers are self-pollinated and open only slowly on hot days. The species is restricted to a few restricted montane sites in south-eastern Tasmania.

Thelymitra media, commonly called the tall sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has a single fleshy, channelled leaf and up to thirty blue flowers with darker streaks but without spots. The labellum is narrower than the other petals and sepals.

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

Thelymitra circumsepta, commonly called the naked sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single leathery, dark green leaf and up to twenty blue to purplish or pink flowers with fringed lobes and yellowish hair tufts on top of the column.

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 aemula, commonly called the gumland sun orchid, is a species of orchid in the family Orchidaceae that is endemic to New Zealand. It has a single erect, dark green leaf with a reddish base and up to twenty or more pale mauve to dark sky blue flowers. It is similar to T. ixioides but has a differently coloured lobe on top of the anther.

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

Thelymitra irregularis, usually known as Thelymitra × irregularis by Australian authorities, and commonly called the crested sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single tapering, dark green leaf and up to eight bright rose pink flowers with darker spots and an irregular yellow crest on top of the anther. It is a natural hybrid between T. ixioides and either T. carnea or T. rubra.

Thelymitra × truncata, commonly called the truncate sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single tapering, more or less flat leaf with a reddish base and up to six blue, pink or white flowers with a tube-shaped lobe on top of the anther. It is a natural hybrid between a range of species, including T. pauciflora and T. ixioides.

References

  1. 1 2 "Thelymitra ixioides". 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. 240–241. ISBN   1877069124.
  3. 1 2 3 Stajsic, Val. "Thelymitra ixioides". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 25 May 2018.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  4. Bernhardt, Peter. "Thelymitra ixioides". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 25 May 2018.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  5. 1 2 "Thelymitra ixioides". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 25 May 2018.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  6. "Thelymitra ixioides" . Retrieved 25 May 2018.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  7. Swartz, Olof; Schrader, Heinrich (ed.) (1805). "Genera et species Orchidearum systematice coordinatarum". Neues Journal für dies Botanik. 1 (1): 58. Retrieved 25 May 2018.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link) CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  8. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 483.