Tropidia territorialis

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Striped crown orchid
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Genus: Tropidia
Species:
T. territorialis
Binomial name
Tropidia territorialis

Tropidia territorialis, commonly known as the striped crown orchid, [2] is an evergreen, terrestrial plant with between three and six thin, pleated, dark green leaves and up to twenty crowded, green and white flowers. It is only known from about five places in the Northern Territory, Australia.

Contents

Description

Tropidia territorialis is an evergreen, terrestrial herb with thin, upright stems 100–200 mm (4–8 in) tall with between three and six thin, pleated, dark green leaves 70–120 mm (3–5 in) long and 15–20 mm (0.6–0.8 in) wide. The leaves have five prominent veins. Above the leaves is a flowering stem 10–20 mm (0.4–0.8 in) long with between ten and twenty resupinate green and white flowers. The flowers open widely and are 8–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long and 6–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide. The dorsal sepal is egg-shaped, 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) long and about 3 mm (0.1 in) wide. The lateral sepals are a similar size to the dorsal sepal and are joined to each other for half their length then spread widely apart. The petals are about the same size as the sepals. The labellum is 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long, about 4 mm (0.2 in) wide with a pouch at its base and its tip curved downwards. Flowering occurs between December and January. [2] [3]

Taxonomy and naming

Tropidia territorialis was first formally described in 2004 by David Jones and Mark Clements and the description was published in The Orchadian. [4]

Distribution and habitat

The striped crown is only known from about five locations in monsoon rainforest in the Northern Territory including on Groote Eylandt. [2] [3]

Related Research Articles

<i>Tropidia</i> (plant) Genus of orchids

Tropidia, commonly known as crown orchids or as 竹茎兰属 , is a genus of about thirty species of evergreen terrestrial orchids in the family Orchidaceae. They have thin, wiry stems with two or more tough, pleated leaves with a flowering spike at the top of the stem, bearing crowded flowers. Species in this genus are distributed across the warmer parts of both the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.

<i>Phaius tankervilleae <span style="font-style:normal;">var.</span> australis</i> Variety of orchid

Phaius tankervilleaevar.australis, also known as the common swamp orchid, southern swamp-orchid, swamp lily or island swamp-orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to eastern Australia. It is an evergreen, terrestrial herb with large, crowded pseudobulbs, large pleated leaves and flowers that are reddish brown on the inside and white outside.

<i>Spathoglottis paulinae</i> Species of orchid

Spathoglottis paulinae, commonly known as the small purple orchid, is a plant in the orchid family and is native to New Guinea and Tropical North Queensland. It is an evergreen terrestrial orchid with crowded pseudobulbs, between four and seven large, pleated leaves and up to thirty mauve to purple flowers.

<i>Phaius robertsii</i> Species of orchid

Phaius robertsii, commonly known as forest swamp orchid, is a plant in the orchid family and is native to a small area of Tropical North Queensland and to New Caledonia. It is an evergreen, terrestrial herb with above-ground stems, three to five pleated leaves and up to twenty flowers which are yellow on the back and brick-red inside. It grows in wet places in rainforest.

<i>Pterostylis chlorogramma</i>

Pterostylis chlorogramma, commonly known as the green-striped leafy greenhood, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Victoria. Flowering plants have up to seven translucent green flowers with darker green stripes. The flowers have a green labellum with a darker stripe down the middle. Non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves on a short, thin stalk but flowering plants lack the rosette, instead having five to seven stem leaves.

<i>Pterostylis cobarensis</i>

Pterostylis cobarensis, commonly known as the inland rustyhood or Cobar rustyhood is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Australia. It has a rosette of leaves and between two and ten hairy, green and brown flowers with translucent white "windows" and a fleshy, insect-like labellum. It grows in inland areas of eastern Australia.

<i>Pterostylis vittata</i>

Pterostylis vittata, commonly known as the banded greenhood or green-banded greenhood, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. The plants either have a rosette of leaves on a short stalk in the years when not flowering or stem leaves on a flowering spike. When flowering, it has up to about twenty five flowers which are translucent green with darker green stripes. It was formerly thought to occur in South Australia and Victoria but those collections are now thought to be of Pterostylis sanguinea.

<i>Pterostylis striata</i>

Pterostylis striata, commonly known as the mainland striped greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to south-eastern mainland 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 white flower with prominent dark green stripes and a brown-tipped dorsal sepal with a thread-like tip. Mainland striped greenhoods were formerly described as Pterostylis alata but that species is now recognised as a Tasmanian endemic.

Pterostylis dilatata, commonly known as the robust snail orchid, is a species of orchid which is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. Non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves but flowering plants lack a rosette and have a single green and white flower on a flowering stem with stem leaves. The flowers appear in winter and have lateral sepals which almost close off the front of the flower.

Pterostylis littoralis, commonly known as the coastal leafy greenhood, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to South Australia. Flowering plants have up to five pale green flowers with darker green stripes and brownish tips. The flowers have a narrow, pale green labellum. Non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves on a short, thin stalk but flowering plants lack the rosette, instead having four or five stem leaves.

<i>Pterostylis rogersii</i>

Pterostylis rogersii, commonly known as the curled-tongue shell orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western 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 lack a rosette and have a single flower with leaves on the flowering spike. This greenhood usually has a white and reddish-brown striped flower with a long, curved labellum and is found along the south coast between Binningup and Esperance.

<i>Corymborkis veratrifolia</i> Species of orchid

Corymborkis veratrifolia, commonly known as the white cinnamon orchid is a plant in the orchid family and is native to areas from tropical and subtropical Asia to Australia and the Pacific Islands. It is an evergreen, terrestrial orchid with a thin, upright stem, papery, pleated leaves and a short flowering stems with up to sixty crowded, short-lived green and white flowers.

<i>Crepidium fimbriatum</i> Species of orchid

Crepidium fimbriatum, commonly known as the fringed spur orchid, is a plant in the orchid family and is endemic to tropical Far North Queensland. It is an evergreen, terrestrial orchid with a fleshy stem, wavy leaves and many purple flowers crowded on a purple flowering stem.

Crepidium flavovirens, commonly known as the green spur orchid, is a plant in the orchid family and is endemic to tropical far North Queensland. It is an evergreen, terrestrial orchid with a fleshy stem, wavy leaves and many yellowish green flowers crowded on a green flowering stem.

Crepidium fontinale, commonly known as the yellow spur orchid, is a plant in the orchid family and is endemic to the Northern Territory. It is an evergreen, terrestrial orchid with a fleshy stem, wavy leaves and many yellowish green flowers crowded on a green flowering stem.

<i>Crepidium lawleri</i> Species of orchid

Crepidium lawleri, commonly known as the small spur orchid, is a plant in the orchid family and is endemic to tropical far north Queensland. It is an evergreen, terrestrial orchid with an upright stem, dark green leaves and up to ten greenish cream-coloured flowers well spaced along a brittle flowering stem.

<i>Crepidium marsupichilum</i> Species of orchid

Crepidium marsupichilum, commonly known as the pouched spur orchid, is a plant in the orchid family and is endemic to tropical far north Queensland. It is an evergreen, terrestrial orchid with an cone-shaped stem, light green, shiny leaves and a large number of purple flowers crowded along a green and purple flowering stem.

Liparis petricola, commonly known as the mountain sprite orchid, is a plant in the orchid family and is endemic to Queensland. It is a terrestrial orchid with two or three egg-shaped leaves and between three and fifteen deep reddish purple flowers with a green column. It grows in rainforest in tropical far North Queensland.

<i>Phaius amboinensis</i> Species of orchid

Phaius amboinensis, commonly known as Arnhem Land swamp orchid, is a plant in the orchid family and is native to areas from Malesia through to New Guinea, Australia and islands in the Pacific Ocean. It is an evergreen, terrestrial herb with up to eight pleated leaves and up to twenty, relatively large white flowers with a yellow labellum. It grows in wet, shady forests.

Tropidia viridifusca, commonly known as the dark crown orchid, is an evergreen, terrestrial plant with thin, pleated, dark green leaves on a thin, upright stem with up to seven green and brown flowers crowded on a short flowering stem on top. It is only known from three Pacific Islands near Australia.

References

  1. "Tropidia territorialis". 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. 365. ISBN   1877069124.
  3. 1 2 "Tropidia territorialis". Trin keys. Retrieved 5 November 2018.
  4. "Tropidia territorialis". APNI. Retrieved 5 November 2018.