Common jewel orchid | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Order: | Asparagales |
Family: | Orchidaceae |
Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
Tribe: | Cranichideae |
Subtribe: | Goodyerinae |
Genus: | Zeuxine |
Species: | Z. oblonga |
Binomial name | |
Zeuxine oblonga | |
Zeuxine oblonga , commonly known as the common jewel orchid [2] is a species of orchid that is endemic to northern Australia. It has up to seven narrow egg-shaped leaves and up to thirty small green and white flowers crowded along a fleshy, hairy flowering stem. It mainly grows in wet forest and rainforest.
Zeuxine oblonga is a terrestrial, tuberous, perennial herb. It has between three and seven dark green, narrow egg-shaped leaves, 40–80 mm (2–3 in) long and 20–30 mm (0.8–1 in) wide which form a loose rosette. Between five and thirty resupinate, dull green and white flowers, about 4 mm (0.2 in) long and 3 mm (0.1 in) wide are crowded on a fleshy, hairy, pinkish flowering stem 100–300 mm (4–10 in) tall. The outside surface of the flowers is hairy. The dorsal sepal is about 4 mm (0.2 in) long, 2 mm (0.08 in) wide and overlaps the petals forming a hood over the column. The dorsal sepal is green with pink edges, the lateral sepals are green and the petals are white. The lateral sepals and petals are about 3 mm (0.1 in) long and 1.5 mm (0.06 in) wide with the lateral sepals spreading apart from each other. The labellum is white, about 4 mm (0.2 in) long, 3.5 mm (0.1 in) wide with two lobes on the end. Flowering occurs from July to September. [2] [3] [4] [5]
Zeuxine oblonga was first formally described in 1920 by Richard Sanders Rogers and Cyril Tenison White and the description was published in Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland . [6] [7] The specific epithet (oblonga) is a Latin word meaning "longer than broad". [8]
The common jewel orchid is endemic to northern Australia and has been recorded from the far north-east of Western Australia, between the Keep and Adelaide Rivers in the Northern Territory and from the Cape York Peninsula in Queensland to Coffs Harbour in New South Wales. It usually grows in colonies on dark, moist sites on the rainforest floor, and is locally common in swampy areas with peaty soils next to streams. [2] [4] [5] [9]
In the Northern Territory Z. oblonga is listed as Vulnerable because there it has an estimated population size of fewer than 1000 individual plants, and an estimated area of occurrence of less than 20 km2 (8 sq mi) in the territory. Potential threats include feral animal disturbance, changes to hydrology and horticultural harvesting. [4]
In Western Australia the species is classified as "Priority Two" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife [9] meaning that it is poorly known and from only one or a few locations. [10]
Caladenia marginata, commonly known as the white fairy orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single pale green, hairy leaf and up to four creamy-white flowers and often grows in dense colonies, flowering profusely after summer fires.
Cymbidium canaliculatum, commonly known as the channelled boat-lip orchid, tiger boat-lip orchid, native cymbidium or tiger orchid is a plant in the orchid family and is endemic to Australia. It is a clump-forming epiphyte with large, greyish green pseudobulbs, each with up to six curved, deeply channelled leaves and up to sixty fragrant, variably coloured flowers that often have spots and blotches and a white to cream-coloured labellum with red markings. This orchid usually grows in the forks or hollows of trees and is found from New South Wales to the northern parts of Western Australia.
Caladenia saccharata, commonly known as sugar orchid, is a species of flowering plant in the orchid family, Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single leaf and a single flower with three white sepals and two similar petals.
Zeuxine exilis, commonly known as Ridley's jewel orchid or the slender jewel orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to Christmas Island where it grows in rainforest. It has three or four egg-shaped leaves and up to thirty small, dull reddish flowers crowded along a thin, hairy flowering stem. It was first recorded in 1904 but was not seen again until 2009.
Rhomboda polygonoides , commonly known as the velvet jewel orchid, is a species of terrestrial orchid that is native to New Guinea, New Caledonia, the Solomon Islands and north-eastern Queensland. It has between five and nine narrow egg-shaped, purplish green leaves with a central white stripe and up to fourteen green and white resupinate flowers with the lateral sepals held nearly horizontally.
Caladenia longicauda subspecies borealis, commonly known as daddy-long-legs spider orchid is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single hairy leaf and up to three mostly white flowers with long, drooping sepals and petals.
Caladenia brevisura, commonly known as the short-sepalled spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a common, small-flowered orchid with an erect, hairy leaf and a single greenish flower with red markings, on a flowering stem up to 25 cm (10 in) high. It is found between Ravensthorpe and Israelite Bay.
Caladenia drummondii, commonly known as the winter spider orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a relatively small, hairy leaf at flowering and usually only one cream and deep purplish-red flower with downswept lateral sepals and petals.
Caladenia dundasiae, commonly known as the Patricia's spider orchid and Dundas spider orchid is a species of orchid endemic to a small area in the south-west of Western Australia. It is a rare orchid with a single hairy leaf and one or two, usually red flowers with thin, stiffly-held lateral sepals and petals.
Caladenia ensata, commonly known as the stumpy spider orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a common orchid within its natural range and has a single, hairy leaf and up to three pale yellow and red flowers which have short but thick, fleshy glandular tips.
Caladenia meridionalis, commonly known as the south coast spider orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an early-flowering orchid with a single erect, hairy leaf and one or two white flowers with long, drooping lateral sepals and petals.
Caladenia pholcoidea subsp. augustensis, commonly known as the Augustus spider orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a rare orchid with a single hairy leaf and up to three mostly white flowers with long spreading petals and lateral sepals.
Pterostylis ciliata, commonly known as the hairy rufous greenhood, tall rusthood or hairy rustyhood is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a relatively large rosette of leaves at its base and up to eight or more green and brown flowers which lean forward and have a small, fleshy, insect-like labellum covered with hairs.
Pterostylis frenchii, commonly known as the tuart rufous greenhood, or tuart rustyhood is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. Both flowering and non-flowering plants have a relatively large rosette of leaves. Flowering plants also have up to twelve white and green or white and brown flowers which lean forward and have a small, fleshy, insect-like labellum.
Pterostylis macrosceles, commonly known as the slender rufous greenhood is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. Both flowering and non-flowering plants have a relatively large rosette of leaves. Flowering plants also have between four and eight white flowers with green brown lines and small, insect-like labellum. It is distinguished from other Western Australian greenhoods by the unusually long thread-like tips on its sepals.
Pterostylis picta, commonly known as the painted rufous greenhood or painted rustyhood is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. Both flowering and non-flowering plants have a relatively large rosette of leaves. Flowering plants also have up to seven large translucent white flowers with green and brown stripes and markings and a fleshy, insect-like labellum.
Anoectochilus yatesiae, commonly known as the marbled jewel orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to northern Queensland. It has up to six dark green leaves with a network of silvery veins and up to four hairy brownish and white flowers.
Goodyera umbrosa, commonly known as the native jade orchid or green jewel orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to northern Queensland where it grows in highland rainforest. It has between four and eight large, egg-shaped leaves and up to ten small pale green or pinkish flowers with the dorsal sepal and petals forming a hood over the column.
Eulophia bicallosa, commonly known as the green corduroy orchid, is a plant in the orchid family and is native to areas from tropical Asia to northern Australia. It is a terrestrial orchid with a single narrow leaf and between ten and twenty pale green or cream-coloured flowers with purplish markings. It grows in rainforest and woodland.
Dendrobium maidenianum, commonly known as the coastal burr orchid, is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid in the family Orchidaceae and is endemic to tropical North Queensland, Australia. It has a single thin, dark green leaf on a thin stem and one or two small white flowers that self-pollinate. It grows on trees and rocks in shady rainforest.