Diuris ochroma
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Pale goat orchid | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
| Tribe: | Diurideae |
| Genus: | Diuris |
| Species: | D. ochroma |
| Binomial name | |
| Diuris ochroma | |
Diuris ochroma, commonly known as pale goat orchid,[2] or pale golden moths[3] is a species of orchid that is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It has three or four leaves at its base and up to four slightly drooping pale yellow flowers with dark reddish purple streaks. It is an uncommon species found in two disjunct populations, in higher parts of each of New South Wales and Victoria.
Diuris ochroma is a tuberous, perennial herb with between three and four linear leaves 180–300 mm (7–10 in) long and 3–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide. Up to four slightly drooping pale yellow flowers with dark reddish purple streaks and about 25 mm (1 in) wide are borne on a flowering stem 250–400 mm (10–20 in) tall. The dorsal sepal projects forward and is egg-shaped, 10–13 mm (0.4–0.5 in) long and 7–9 mm (0.3–0.4 in) wide. The lateral sepals are lance-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, 14–19 mm (0.6–0.7 in) long, 1.5–3.5 mm (0.06–0.1 in) wide, lean downwards and are more or less parallel to each other. The petals are egg-shaped, 7–9 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long, 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) wide and spread apart from each other on a green to purplish stalk 6–8.5 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long. The labellum is 13–16 mm (0.5–0.6 in) long and has three lobes. The centre lobe is oblong, 8.5–11 mm (0.3–0.4 in) wide with a raised ridge in its midline. The side lobes are oblong, about 3 mm (0.1 in) long, 1.5 mm (0.06 in) wide with dark reddish purple streaks. There are between two and four more or less parallel callus ridges in the lower part of the mid-line of the labellum. Flowering occurs in November and December.[2][4][5]
Taxonomy and naming
Diuris ochroma was first formally described in 1994 by David Jones from a specimen collected near the Wonnangatta River and the description was published in Muelleria.[6] Jones stated that the specific epithet ochroma was derived from the Greek ochroma, and means "pale" or "wan", referring to the pale yellow flowers of this species.[4] In ancient Greek, ochroma (ὤχρωμα) is a noun meaning "pallor".[7]