Diuris behrii

Golden cowslips
Diuris behrii growing near Smythesdale
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Subtribe: Diuridinae
Genus: Diuris
Species: D. behrii
Binomial name
Diuris behrii

Diuris behrii, commonly known as golden cowslips, is a species of orchid which is endemic to eastern Australia. It occurs in South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. 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.

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.[1] The specific epithet (behrii) honours the German-American botanist, Hans Hermann Behr.[4]

Distribution and habitat

The golden cowslip orchid grows in grassland and woodland mostly in western Victoria but is also found in south-eastern South Australia and on the slopes and tablelands of New South Wales, including the Australian Capital Territory.[2][5]

References

  1. 1 2 "Diuris behrii". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
  2. 1 2 Jeanes, Jeff. "Diuris behrii". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
  3. ↑ Jones, David & Barbara Jones (2000). A Field Guide to the Native Orchids of Southern Australia. Bloomings Books. ISBN 1-876473-24-X.
  4. ↑ von Shlechtendal, Diederich (1847). "Sudaustralische Pflanzen. II. Bestimmung und Beschreibung der von Dr Behr in Sudaustralien gesammelten Pflanzen". Linnaea: ein Journal für die Botanik in ihrem ganzen Umfange, oder Beiträge zur Pflanzenkunde. 20: 572–573. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
  5. ↑ "Diuris behrii". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
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