Diuris bracteata
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Diuris bracteata | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
| Tribe: | Diurideae |
| Genus: | Diuris |
| Species: | †D. bracteata |
| Binomial name | |
| †Diuris bracteata | |
Diuris bracteata is a species of orchid that is endemic to New South Wales. It has two folded leaves and up to eight yellow flowers with blackish marks. After its collection in a Sydney suburb in 1888, no further collections were made and the species was presumed extinct until 2004 when it was rediscovered near Gosford.
Diuris bracteata is a tuberous, perennial herb with two linear leaves 80–120 mm (3–5 in) long, 6–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) wide and folded lengthwise. Between two and eight, usually three yellow flowers with blackish markings, 15–20 mm (0.6–0.8 in) wide are borne on a flowering stem 100–180 mm (4–7 in) tall. There are about five curved, linear bracts along the flowering stem. The dorsal sepal is more or less erect, egg-shaped, 6–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) wide with two brown blotches near the base. The lateral sepals are linear, 9–12 mm (0.4–0.5 in) long, 1.5–3 mm (0.06–0.1 in) wide, turned downwards and are parallel to or cross over each other. The petals are ear-like with an elliptic to egg-shaped blade 6–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and about 5 mm (0.2 in) wide on a blackish stalk 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) long. The labellum is 5–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and has three lobes. The centre lobe is egg-shaped to diamond-shaped, 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long and wide and the side lobes are linear to oblong, 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long and about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide. There are two ridge-like calli about 5 mm (0.2 in) in the mid-line of the labellum. Flowering occurs in August and September.[3][4]
Taxonomy and naming
Diuris bracteata was first formally described in 1888 by Robert D. FitzGerald from a specimen collected near Gladesville by Henry Deane. The description was published in Fitzgerald's book, Australian Orchids.[5] The specific epithet (bracteata) is a Latin word meaning "small leaf".[6]