Wispy sun orchid | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Order: | Asparagales |
Family: | Orchidaceae |
Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
Tribe: | Diurideae |
Genus: | Thelymitra |
Species: | T. sparsa |
Binomial name | |
Thelymitra sparsa | |
Thelymitra sparsa, commonly called the wispy sun orchid, [2] 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 sparsa is a tuberous, perennial herb with a single erect, fleshy, channelled, linear to lance-shaped leaf 60–250 mm (2–10 in) long and 2–5 mm (0.08–0.2 in) wide. Up to six blue flowers with a few small darker spots, 25–30 mm (0.98–1.2 in) wide are arranged on a flowering stem 100–250 mm (4–10 in) tall. The sepals and petals are 10–15 mm (0.4–0.6 in) long and 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) wide. The column is bluish, 4.5–6 mm (0.18–0.24 in) long and about 2.5 mm (0.1 in) wide. The lobe on the top of the anther is dark blue and brown with a yellow tip and a few short finger-like glands on the back. The side lobes have a few sparse white hairs on their ends. Flowering occurs in December and January but the flowers are self-pollinated and only open on hot days, and then only slowly. [2] [3]
Thelymitra sparsa was first formally described in 1999 by David Jones from a specimen collected on the plains near Snug and the description was published in Australian Orchid Research. [4] The specific epithet (sparsa) is a Latin word meaning “strewn", "sprinkled", "flecked" or "spotted", [5] referring to the sparse hairs on the anther's lateral lobes. [3]
The wispy sun orchid is restricted to a few montane sites on the Snug Plains and Wellington Range near Hobart where it grows in low scrub with grasses and sedges. [2] [3]
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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 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 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 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.
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.
Thelymitra polychroma, commonly called the rainbow sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to Tasmania. It has a single narrow, fleshy leaf and up to four blue and mauve flowers with darker veins. It grows in windswept heath and swampy areas and the flowers are self-pollinated.
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 spadicea, commonly called the browntop sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to Tasmania. It has a single erect, fleshy leaf and up to four relatively small blue flowers with small darker spots and an elongated lobe on top of the anther.
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.
Thelymitra longiloba, commonly called the lobed sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single erect, fleshy, channelled leaf and up to six relatively small blue flowers with side lobes above the anther. Although widespread, it only occurs in disjunct populations and is classed as "endangered".
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 erosa, commonly called the striped sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to Tasmania. It has a single erect, fleshy dark green leaf and up to eight moderately large dark blue to purplish or pink flowers with darker veins. The column arms have irregular lobes.