Microtis oblonga
| Sweet onion orchid | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
| Tribe: | Diurideae |
| Genus: | Microtis |
| Species: | M. oblonga
|
| Binomial name | |
| Microtis oblonga | |
Microtis oblonga, commonly known as the sweet onion orchid,[2] is a species of orchid endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single hollow, onion-like leaf and up to fifty scented, bright green flowers. It is considered by some Australian authorities to be synonymous with Microtis rara.
Description[edit]
Microtis oblonga is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single erect, smooth, tubular leaf 200–600 mm (8–20 in) long and 6–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide. Between ten and fifty bright green, sweetly scented flowers are arranged along a flowering stem 400–900 mm (20–40 in) tall. The flowers are 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long and 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) wide. The dorsal sepal is more or less erect, about 3 mm (0.1 in) long and wide. The lateral sepals are 3 mm (0.1 in) long, about 1 mm (0.04 in) wide with their tips rolled under. The petals are 2–2.5 mm (0.08–0.1 in) long, about 1 mm (0.04 in) wide and usually curve forwards. The labellum is oblong, 3–3.5 mm (0.12–0.14 in) long, 1.5–2 mm (0.06–0.08 in) wide with irregular edges and turns downward towards the ovary. There is a raised, dark green callus in the centre of the labellum. Flowering occurs from October to February.[2]
Taxonomy and naming[edit]
Microtis oblonga was first formally described in 1923 by Richard Sanders Rogers and the description was published in Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of South Australia.[3][4] It is regarded by many Australian authorities as being a synonym of Microtis rara.[3][5][6][7] The specific epithet (oblonga) is a Latin word meaning "longer than broad".[8]
Distribution and habitat[edit]
The sweet onion orchid grows between grasses and shrubs in open forest from Gympie in Queensland south through New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania and west to south-eastern South Australia.[2][7]
References[edit]
- ^ "Microtis oblonga". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- ^ a b c Jones, David L. (2006). A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. p. 225. ISBN 1877069124.
- ^ a b "Microtis oblonga". APNI. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
- ^ Rogers, Richard S. (1923). "Contributions to the Orchidaceous flora of Australia". Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of South Australia. 47: 339. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
- ^ Jeanes, Jeff. "Microtis rara". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
- ^ Bates, Robert J. (1984). "The genus Microtis R.Br. (Orchidaceae): a taxonomic revision with notes on biology" (PDF). Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Garden. 7 (1): 77. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
- ^ a b "Threatened species profile Microtis rara" (PDF). Government of South Australia Department for Environment and Heritage. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
- ^ Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 494.
External links[edit]
Data related to Microtis oblonga at Wikispecies
Media related to Microtis oblonga at Wikimedia Commons
