Thelymitra media

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Tall sun orchid
Thelymitra media.jpg
Near the road to Tanjil Bren
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. media
Binomial name
Thelymitra media
Synonyms [1]
  • Thelymitra canaliculata var. media M.A.Clem. nom. inval., pro syn.
  • Thelymitra mediaR.Br. var. media

Thelymitra media, commonly known as tall sun orchid, [2] 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 (the lowest petal) is narrower than the other petals and sepals.

Contents

Description

Thelymitra media is a tuberous, perennial herb with a single fleshy, channelled, dark green, linear to lance-shaped leaf 200–300 mm (8–10 in) long and 10–20 mm (0.4–0.8 in) wide with a purplish base. Up to thirty pale to dark blue flowers with darker streaks, 20–30 mm (0.8–1 in) wide are arranged on a flowering stem 300–1,000 mm (10–40 in) tall. The sepals and petals are 12–17 mm (0.5–0.7 in) long and 6–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) wide, with the labellum the narrowest. The column is white or bluish, 6–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) wide. The lobe on the top of the anther is short with a dark collar, yellow tip and a few short, finger-like glands on its back. The side lobes project forwards and have white, mop-like tufts on their ends. The flowers are insect-pollinated and open on warm sunny days. Flowering occurs from October to January. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

This sun orchid is similar to T. ixioides but is larger and has unspotted flowers. [3]

Taxonomy and naming

Thelymitra media was first formally described in 1810 by Robert Brown and the description was published in Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen . [7] [8] The specific epithet (media) is a Latin word meaning "middle". [9]

Distribution and habitat

The tall sun orchid grows in heath and shrubby woodland and forest as well as in high rainfall forest at altitudes between 10 and 1,200 m (33 and 3,937 ft). It is found on the coast, ranges and inland slopes of New South Wales south from the Blue Mountains to eastern Victoria. [2] [3]

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<i>Acianthus exsertus</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Caladenia congesta</i> Species of orchid

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<i>Caladenia minorata</i> Species of orchid

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<i>Pterostylis squamata</i> Species of orchid

Pterostylis squamata, commonly known as the southern rustyhood or ruddyhood, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. Flowering plants have up to ten translucent green flowers with reddish-brown markings and a hairy, insect-like labellum. Non-flowering plants have a rosette of four to eight egg-shaped leaves. This species is very similar to Pterostylis rufa which has a narrower labellum and other minor differences.

Pterostylis dubia, commonly known as the blue-tongued greenhood, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Tasmania. It has a rosette of fleshy leaves at its base and a dark green and white flower with narrow petals and a dark blue-green labellum.

<i>Pterostylis gibbosa</i> Species of orchid

Pterostylis gibbosa, commonly known as the Illawarra rustyhood, or Illawarra greenhood, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. It has a rosette of leaves at its base and up to nine bright green flowers with translucent "windows", relatively wide lateral sepals with short-pointed tips and a dark, fleshy, insect-like labellum.

<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.

Corunastylis nigricans, commonly known as the Kangaroo Island midge orchid is a small terrestrial orchid endemic to South Australia. It has a single thin leaf and up to twenty five purplish brown flowers with a shiny, hairless, dark purplish labellum. It is sometimes confused with Genoplesium nigricans which has differently coloured flowers and a much wider distribution. It is regarded as a synonym of G. nigricans by the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families.

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

Thelymitra carnea, commonly called the tiny sun orchid or pinkish sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is native to Australia and New Zealand. It has narrow, almost cylindrical leaves and up to four relatively small pale to deep pink flowers on a wiry, zig-zag stem.

Thelymitra angustifolia, commonly known as the long-leaved sun orchid is a species of orchid that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has a single erect, thin, channelled leaf and up to ten purplish blue flowers with white tufts on top of the anther. The flowers are self-pollinating.

<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.

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

Thelymitra venosa, commonly known as the large veined sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to New South Wales. It has a single fleshy, channelled leaf and up to six relatively large, bright-blue flowers with darker veins. The arms on the side of the column are twisted and yellow, but not toothed at the tip. Unlike most other thelymitras, the flowers do not usually close on cloudy days.

Thelymitra fuscolutea, commonly called the chestnut 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, flat, leathery leaf and up to fifteen or more yellowish green flowers with reddish brown streaks and blotches. The column has broad, deeply fringed cream or whitish wings.

Thelymitra tigrina, commonly called the tiger orchid or tiger sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single narrow leaf and up to fifteen small yellow flowers with small brown spots.

References

  1. 1 2 "Thelymitra media". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  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. p. 243. ISBN   1877069124.
  3. 1 2 3 Stajsic, Val. "Thelymitra media". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  4. Rupp, H. Montague R. (1969). The Orchids of New South Wales. Glebe, N.S.W.: Australasian Medical Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 6.
  5. Bernhardt, Peter. "Thelymitra media". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  6. Copeland, Lachlan M.; Backhouse, Gary N. (2022). Guide to Native Orchids of NSW and ACT. Clyton South, Victoria: CSIRO Publishing. pp. 405–406.
  7. "Thelymitra media". APNI. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  8. Brown, Robert (1810). Prodromus florae Novae Hollandiae. London. p. 314. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  9. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 522.