Calochilus gracillimus Rupp

Slender beard orchid (en)

Species

Angiosperms > Asparagales > Orchidaceae > Calochilus

Characteristics

Leaf fully developed at flowering, 150–300 × 6–8 mm, green, not pruinose. Flower stem 300–450 mm tall, thin, 2–9-flowered. Flowers lasting 3–5 days, 30–37 × 7–9mm; sepals and petals green with red stripes or wholly reddish; labellum with reddish or purplish papillae. Dorsal sepal porrect, 10–12 × 6–8 mm, incurved over column. Lateral sepals divergent, 10–12 × 4–5 mm. Petals incurved to spreading, 7–8 × 5 mm. Labellum flat in profile, 30–34 × 5–6 mm, obovate in outline, tapered evenly and drawn out into long taper to apex; basal part covered with short, shiny purple papillae, longer papillae on margins; central part covered with coarse, shiny, reddish purple papillae to 7 mm long; apical part with linear glandular tail 6–9 × 1 mm; labellum margins from base nearly to apex with numerous thin, spreading, red and green lobes to 5 mm long, only a few apical lobes glandular. Column 3.5–4 × 3 mm, with 2 small, purple sham eyes connected by an obscure ridge.
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Leaf fully developed at flowering, 120–200 × 8–12 mm, greenish brown, not pruinose. Flower stem 300–400 mm tall, 2 sterile bracts, 2–5-flowered. Flowers lasting 2–5 days, 20–25 × 12–15 mm; sepals and petals dark brownish green with red markings; labellum with brownish purple papillae and paler glandular hairs. Dorsal sepal obliquely erect, 10–13 × 7–8 mm, erect. Lateral sepals divergent, 11–13 × 4–5 mm, margins incurved. Petals spreading, 7–8 × 5–6 mm. Labellum flat in profile, 18–22 × 7–9 mm, broadly obovate in outline, suddenly contracted into a tapered portion; basal part with short, thick, purple papillae; central part with coarse, hair-like papillae to 5 mm long; apical part with a short glandular tail 2–3 × 0.5 mm; labellum margins with numerous thin, spreading, greenish to greyish lobes to 7 mm long, most glandular. Column 4.5–5.5 × 4 mm, with 2 yellowish sham eyes connected by a purplish ridge.
Leaf fully developed at flowering, 180–400 × 4–8 mm, pruinose. Flower stem 280–500 mm tall, pruinose, 2–6-flowered. Flowers lasting 2–4 days, 25–30 × 12–15 mm, pale green; sepals with light red markings; petals boldly marked; labellum papillae dark purple. Dorsal sepal obliquely erect, 12–14 × 8–9 mm. Lateral sepals divergent, 12–14 × 4–5 mm, margins incurved. Petals porrect, 7–8 × 5–5.5 mm, apex upcurved. Labellum flat in profile, 22–24 × 6.5–7 mm, obovate in outline, broadly tapered to apex; basal part with short, thick, purple papillae; central part with purple, glandular and non-glandular papillae to 6 mm long; apical part with glandular tail 2.5 mm long; labellum margins with numerous glandular and non-glandular, acuminate lobes to 4 mm long. Column 4.5–5.5 × 4 mm, with 2 eye-spots connected by a faint ridge.
An orchid.
Life form perennial
Growth form herb
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention -
Sexuality hermaphrodite
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Mature height (meter) 0.3 - 0.45
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Nitrogen fixer -
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Environment

Highly localised; found growing among shrubs and tussocks on slopes and ridges in drier montane forest dominated by snow gums in freely draining, gravelly soil.
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Localised; found growing among shrubs on drier ridges and slopes in open forest and heathy forest in freely draining, sandy soil; common in sandstone habitats.
Highly localised; found growing among tall grass in high rainfall montane forest in well-structured loam.
It is a subtropical plant.
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Usage

Uses -
Edible roots tubers
Therapeutic use -
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

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Distribution

Calochilus gracillimus world distribution map, present in Australia

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:621484-1
WFO ID wfo-0000779005
COL ID PX7Z
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Calochilus gracillimus