Diuris behrii
Species of orchid
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Diuris behrii, commonly known as golden cowslips,[2] is a species of orchid which is endemic to southern continental Australia. It has between three and six grass-like leaves and a flowering stem with up to four drooping, yellow flowers with dark streaks on the labellum. The flowers appear between September and November in its native range.
| Golden cowslips | |
|---|---|
| |
| Diuris behrii growing near Smythesdale | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Embryophytes |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
| Tribe: | Diurideae |
| Genus: | Diuris |
| Species: | D. behrii |
| Binomial name | |
| Diuris behrii | |
Description
Diuris behrii is a tuberous, perennial herb with between three and six grass-like, narrow linear leaves up to 200 mm (8 in) long. Up to four drooping, bright yellow flowers are borne on a flowering stem up to 500 mm (20 in) tall. The pedicel of each flower is enclosed in a bract. The dorsal sepal is egg-shaped, up to 17 mm (0.7 in) long and leans forwards. It has dark streaks similar to those on the labellum. The lateral sepals are greenish, linear to lance-shaped, up to 25 mm (1 in) long and turn downwards and parallel to each other. The petals spread sideways or droop and are narrow egg-shaped to elliptic, up to 25 mm (1 in) long on a green, stalk-like "claw". The labellum is up to 28 mm (1 in) long, often has brownish streaks, and has three lobes. The centre lobe is a broad wedge shape, often with irregular edges. The lateral lobes are small and oblong with toothed edges. There are two ridge-like calli about 5 mm (0.2 in) long near the mid-line of the labellum. Flowering occurs from September to November.[2][3]
Taxonomy and naming
Diuris behrii was first formally described in 1847 by Diederich Franz Leonhard von Schlechtendal who published his description in Linnaea: ein Journal für die Botanik in ihrem ganzen Umfange, oder Beiträge zur Pflanzenkunde.[4][5] The specific epithet (behrii) honours the German-American botanist, Hans Hermann Behr.[5]