Townsonia deflexa

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Creeping forest orchid
Townsonia deflexa.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Genus: Townsonia
Species:
T. deflexa
Binomial name
Townsonia deflexa
Cheeseman, 1906 [1]

Townsonia deflexa, commonly known as the creeping forest orchid, [2] is a species of orchid endemic to New Zealand. It forms diffuse colonies with tiny, inconspicuous flowers and small, more or less round leaves and grows mainly in mossy places in beech forest.

Contents

Description

Herbarium specimen of Townsonia deflexa Townsonia deflexa (AM AK379827).jpg
Herbarium specimen of Townsonia deflexa

Townsonia deflexa is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, sympodial herb which grows in small groups with its tubers connected by a fleshy root. It spreads through mossy patches and leaf litter, each tuber producing one or two leaves. The leaves of both flowering and non-flowering plants are very thin with wavy margins and a relatively long petiole. The leaves emerge at ground level and are egg-shaped to almost round, and about 10 mm (0.4 in) long. Flowering plants also have a similar leaf on the flowering stem except that it lacks a petiole. Up to four flowers about 4 mm (0.2 in) long are borne on a flowering stem 10–20 mm (0.4–0.8 in) high. The flowers are green with red blotches. The sepals are V-shaped in cross section, the dorsal sepal broader and slightly shorter than the lateral sepals. The petals are erect, oblong and much shorter than the sepals. The labellum is also shorter than the sepals and is thicker along its mid-line with two ridges of calli. Flowering occurs from November to February. [3] [2] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

Townsonia deflexa was first formally described in 1906 by Thomas Cheeseman and the description was published in his book Manual of the New Zealand Flora. [5] [1] The specific epithet (deflexa) is a Latin word meaning "bending away from". [6]

Distribution and habitat

The creeping forest orchid grows in mossy placed, especially in beech forests , forming small diffuse colonies. It is found on the North, South, Stewart, Auckland and Campbell Islands of New Zealand. [4] [2]

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<i>Townsonia</i> Genus of flowering plants

Townsonia, commonly called myrtle beech orchids is a genus of two species of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. They form small clusters of plants with their tubers connected, each tuber with one or two leaves. The flowers are inconspicuous.

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

Pterostylis trullifolia, commonly known as the trowel-leaved greenhood, is an orchid species endemic to New Zealand. As with similar orchids, the flowering plants differ from those which are not flowering. The non-flowering plants have a rosette of wrinkled, trowel-shaped leaves but the flowering plants have a single flower with a bulging, platform-like sinus between the lateral sepals and leaves on the flowering spike.

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

Pterostylis banksii, commonly known as greenhood or tutukiwi, is a species of orchid endemic to New Zealand. Non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves. Flowering plants have leaves on the flowering stem, some of which reach above the single relatively large, green flower with translucent white stripes. It is the most common, widespread and largest New Zealand greenhood and is found on both of the main islands.

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

Pterostylis robusta, commonly known as the sharp-leaf greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to south-eastern Australia. As with similar orchids, the flowering plants differ from those which are not flowering. The non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves but the flowering plants have a single flower with leaves on the flowering spike. This greenhood has a relatively large green, white and reddish-brown flower with reddish-brown stripes with the labellum just visible inside the flower.

Pterostylis agathicola, commonly known as the kauri greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to the North Island of New Zealand. As with similar greenhoods, the flowering plants differ from those which are not flowering. The non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves flat on the ground but the flowering plants have a single flower with leaves on the flowering spike. It grows almost exclusively in kauri forest and has a relatively large green and transparent white flower.

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

Pterostylis australis, commonly known as the southern greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to New Zealand. Unlike many other greenhood orchids, this species lacks a rosette of leaves but instead only has leaves on the flowering stem. The leaf's shape differs according to it position on the stem and there is a single green and white-striped flower. This greenhood occurs on both of the main islands of New Zealand and often forms large colonies.

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

Pterostylis brumalis, commonly known as the kauri greenhood or winter greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to New Zealand. There is a rosette of leaves at the base of both flowering and non-flowering plants. Flowering plants have a white flower with narrow green stripes and a dorsal sepal which bends forward strongly while the petals spread widely, giving the flower a cobra-like appearance.

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

Pterostylis daintreana, commonly known as Daintree's greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to eastern Australia. The non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves on short stalks but flowering plants have up to ten flowers with rosettes on the side of the flowering spike. The flowers are translucent white with dark green lines and long, downcurved lateral sepals.

Pterostylis excelsa, commonly known as the tall rustyhood, or dry land green-hood is a flowering plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to South Australia. It has a rosette of leaves and when flowering, up to twenty green or brown flowers which lean forward and have a thick, fleshy, partly hairy, insect-like labellum.

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

Pterostylis irsoniana is a species of greenhood orchid endemic to New Zealand. There are up to five erect leaves on the flowering stem with a single dark green flower with white stripes and a reddish tinge on the tips. It has a distinctive curved labellum with a curled tip with a dark red callus.

Pterostylis macrosepala is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the central-west slopes of New South Wales. As with similar greenhoods, plants in flower differ from those that are not flowering. Non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves flat on the ground, but those that are flowering have up to eight translucent green flowers with narrow, dark green stripes and up to ten stem leaves.

Pterostylis micromega, commonly known as the swamp greenhood, is a species of greenhood orchid endemic to New Zealand. Both flowering and non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves while flowering plants also have a single, relatively large whitish flower with a pointed dorsal sepal. The flower colour and pointed dorsal sepal are unique in New Zealand Pterostylis.

Pterostylis puberula, commonly known as the dwarf greenhood or snail greenhood is a species of orchid which is endemic to New Zealand. It has a rosette of pale yellowish, stalked leaves and a single silvery-white and green flower with relatively long, erect lateral sepals.

Pterostylis timorensis is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to East Timor. Both flowering and non-flowering plants have a rosette of light green, fleshy leaves. Flowering plants have a single green, white and reddish-brown flower and two or three stem leaves.

Pterostylis venosa, commonly known as a greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to New Zealand and which usually grows in colonies. Both flowering and non-flowering plants have a rosette of erect to spreading leaves, and flowering plants have a single yellowish-green to dark green flower with white stripes. It is similar to P. humilis.

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

Pterostylis glebosa, commonly known as the clubbed snail orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. Non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves flat on the ground but flowering plants usually lack a rosette and have a single green and white flower with club-like lateral sepals. It sometimes forms colonies of thousands of plants.

Townsonia viridis, commonly known as the beech orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Tasmania. It forms diffuse colonies with tiny, inconspicuous flowers and small, more or less round leaves and grows mainly in mossy places in myrtle beech forest.

<i>Adenochilus gracilis</i> Species of flowering plant

Adenochilus gracilis is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to New Zealand. It has a long, thin underground rhizome, a single leaf on the flowering stem and a single white flower with glandular hairs on the outside. Its labellum has red to maroon bars and a central band of yellow calli but is almost obscured by the dorsal sepal.

<i>Corybas obscurus</i> Species of orchid

Corybas obscurus is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to New Zealand. It has a solitary heart-shaped leaf and a deep crimson or nearly black flower and is part of the Corybas trilobus aggregate.

References

  1. 1 2 Cheeseman, T. F. (1906), Manual of the New Zealand flora, J. Mackay, Govt. Printer, p. 692, doi:10.5962/BHL.TITLE.12003, OCLC   4397520, OL   234533M, Wikidata   Q51396409
  2. 1 2 3 "Townsonia deflexa". New Zealand Native Orchid Group. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  3. "Townsonia Cheeseman". Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  4. 1 2 de Lange, Peter J. "Townsonia deflexa". New Zealand Plant conservation Network. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  5. "Townsonia deflexa". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  6. Grimshaw, William (1821). An Etymological Dictionary. Philadelphia: Lydia R. Bailey. Retrieved 3 May 2018. etymology deflexus.