Thelymitra odora

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Thelymitra odora
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. odora
Binomial name
Thelymitra odora

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.

Contents

Description

Thelymitra odora is a tuberous, perennial herb with a single erect, non-fleshy, channelled, linear leaf 80–120 mm (3–5 in) long and about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide with a purplish base. Up to four deep blue flowers 12–14 mm (0.5–0.6 in) wide are borne on a flowering stem 150–300 mm (6–10 in) tall. The flower buds are a slaty grey colour. The sepals and petals are 6–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and 3–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide. The column is white or pale blue, 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long and 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) wide. The lobe on the top of the anther is tube-shaped and dark coloured with a yellow, slightly notched tip. The side lobes curve sharply upwards and have mop-like tufts of white hairs on their ends. The flowers open on warm, humid days. Flowering occurs between late October and early-November. [2]

Taxonomy and naming

Thelymitra odora was first formally described in 2010 by Robert Bates from a specimen he collected near Lobethal in 2007. The description was published in the Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Garden . [3] The specific epithet (odora) is a Latin word meaning "having a smell" or "fragrant", [4] referring to fact that this is one of the few thelymitra to have a fragrance. [2]

Distribution and habitat

This thelymitra is only known from the southern Mount Lofty Ranges where it grows in seepage areas and on the edges of firebreaks. [2]

Related Research Articles

Thelymitra albiflora, commonly called the white sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to South Australia. It has a single erect, narrow, fleshy leaf and up to ten relatively small white flowers with white toothbrush-like tufts on top of the anther.

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.

Thelymitra batesii, commonly called the plump sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to South Australia. It has a single fleshy, channelled, dark green leaf and up to eight mauve to bluish purple flowers that are pinkish with darker stripes on the back. The unopened flower buds are distinctly plump.

<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.

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 viridis, commonly called the green sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to Tasmania. It has a single erect, fleshy, channelled leaf and up to seven small self-pollinating pale blue to pale purplish flowers. The rest of the plant is a pale green colour.

Thelymitra vulgaris, commonly called the slender sun orchid or common sun orchid, is a species of orchid in the family Orchidaceae and endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single erect, dark green leaf and up to nine relatively small, blue to purplish or white flowers.

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 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.

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.

Thelymitra colensoi, commonly called Colenso's sun orchid, is a species of orchid in the family Orchidaceae that is endemic to New Zealand. It has a single fleshy, channelled leaf and up to seven pale blue or mauve to pink flowers. It is similar to T. pauciflora but is smaller and less robust than that species.

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 hygrophila, commonly known as the blue star sun orchid, 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.

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 orientalis is a rare species of orchid in the family Orchidaceae and is endemic to southern continental Australia. It has a single thread-like, cylindrical leaf and a single deep blue, streaked flower. It is similar to T. mucida but is distinguished from that species by its filiform leaf and smaller flower.

References

  1. "Thelymitra crenulata". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  2. 1 2 3 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: 26–28. Retrieved 22 June 2018.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  3. "Thelymitra odora". APNI. Retrieved 22 June 2018.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  4. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 720.