Thelymitra mucida

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Plum sun orchid
Thelymitra mucida - Plum Orchid (21774557139).jpg
Thelymitra mucida in Wandoo 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. mucida
Binomial name
Thelymitra mucida

Thelymitra mucida, commonly called the plum sun orchid [2] or plum orchid, [3] 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.

Contents

Description

Thelymitra mucida is a tuberous, perennial herb with a single erect, channelled, fleshy, channelled, dark green, linear leaf 100–300 mm (4–10 in) long and 2–8 mm (0.08–0.3 in) wide with a purplish base. Up to six blue, purplish or plum coloured flowers 14–22 mm (0.6–0.9 in) wide are arranged on a flowering stem 180–550 mm (7–20 in) tall. The sepals and petals are 6–12 mm (0.2–0.5 in) long and 3–6.5 mm (0.1–0.3 in) wide. The column is blue or pinkish, 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) long and 2.5–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide. The lobe on the top of the anther is purplish with a yellow tip, wedge shaped and covered with a thick, sticky secretion. The end of the lobe is deeply notched. The side lobes have shaggy toothbrush-like yellow or cream-coloured tufts on their ends. The flowers are self-pollinated and only open on hot days, and then only slowly. Flowering occurs from August to December. [2] [4] [5] [3] [6]

Taxonomy and naming

Thelymitra mucida was first formally described in 1879 by Robert Fitzgerald from a specimen collected near Wilson Inlet and the description was published in The Gardeners' Chronicle . [7] [8] The specific epithet (mucida) is a Latin word meaning "slimy". [9]

Distribution and habitat

The plum sun orchid grows in moist places such as swamp margins in heath. It occurs in southern parts of Victoria, South Australia, (including Kangaroo Island) and Western Australia and in Tasmania. [2] [4] [10] [11]

Conservation

Thelymitra mucida is listed as "vulnerable" in Victoria, as "endangered" in South Australia and as "rare" under the Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 in Tasmania. [4] [10] [11]

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.

Thelymitra imbricata, commonly called the broad sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to Tasmania. It has a single erect, channelled leaf and up to fifteen or more pale to dark or purplish blue, relatively large flowers.

<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.

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.

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 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 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.

Thelymitra silena, commonly called the madonna sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to Tasmania. It has a single thick, fleshy, channelled leaf and up to fifteen pale blue flowers with an almost spherical yellow lobe on top of the anther.

<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.

<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 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.

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

Thelymitra alpina, commonly known as the mountain sun orchid, 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.

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.

References

  1. "Thelymitra mucida". 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. p. 238. ISBN   1877069124.
  3. 1 2 Brown, Andrew; Dixon, Kingsley; French, Christopher; Brockman, Garry (2013). Field guide to the orchids of Western Australia : the definitive guide to the native orchids of Western Australia. Simon Nevill Publications. p. 444. ISBN   9780980348149.
  4. 1 2 3 Jeanes, Jeff. "Thelymitra mucida". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 12 May 2018.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  5. Jeanes, Jeffrey A. (2004). "A revision of the Thelymitra pauciflora R.Br. (Orchidaceae) complex in Australia" (PDF). Muelleria. 19: 67–70. Retrieved 22 May 2018.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  6. Hoffman, Noel; Brown, Andrew (2011). Orchids of South-West Australia (3rd ed.). Gooseberry Hill: Noel Hoffman. p. 315. ISBN   9780646562322.
  7. "Thelymitra mucida". APNI. Retrieved 22 May 2018.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  8. Fitzgerald, Robert D. (1882). "New Australian orchids". The Gardener's Chronicle. 17: 495. Retrieved 23 May 2018.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  9. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 718.
  10. 1 2 "Threatened species profile - Thelymitra mucida" (PDF). Government on South Australia Department for Environment and Heritage. Retrieved 22 May 2018.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  11. 1 2 "Tasmanian threatened species listing statement Thelymitra mucida". Tasmanian Government Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment. Retrieved 22 May 2018.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)