Earina aestivalis
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Earina aestivalis | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Epidendroideae |
| Genus: | Earina |
| Species: | E. aestivalis |
| Binomial name | |
| Earina aestivalis Thomas Cheeseman, 1919[1] | |
Earina aestivalis, commonly known as bamboo orchid or summer earina, is a species of pendent orchid that is endemic to New Zealand.[2][3][4] The specific epithet, aestivalis, is derived from Latin and means "pertaining to the summer".[5]
It is epiphytic, with long and strong rhizomes that are firmly attached to its host.[3] It produces many long cane-like stems up to 60 cm long, with purple spots. It has pointed leaves 6–10 cm long. The leaf sheaths range from ivory to white-yellow, and are spotted dark purple-brown.[4]
It flowers from December to March, with inflorescences containing 2-8 flower clusters and reaching up to 8 cm. The flower petals and sepals are greenish cream-yellow, and the labellums yellow-orange. It also produces fruit capsules from January to August.[4] The seeds are wind dispersed.[3]
E. aestivalis is from the family Orchidaceae. Unlike those found elsewhere, the E. aestivalis specimens from the Chatham Islands are not distinct, and seem to grade into E. mucronata.[3]
Distribution
It is endemic to New Zealand, and can be found on both the North and South Islands, along with the Chatham Islands and Stewart Island.[2][4] It is found in coastal and lowland forests. It is usually found on low branches and trunks, but can sometimes be found on cliff faces and rocks.[4]
Conservation status
As of the 2023 assessment by the New Zealand Threat Classification System, it is regarded as "Not Threatened".[4][3]
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