Diuris tricolor
| Long-tailed donkey orchid | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
| Tribe: | Diurideae |
| Genus: | Diuris |
| Species: | D. tricolor
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| Binomial name | |
| Diuris tricolor | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
Diuris tricolor, commonly known as the long-tailed donkey orchid[2] or pine donkey orchid,[3] is a species of orchid that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has up to three grass-like leaves and up to six orange-coloured to yellow flowers with white and purplish tints. The lateral sepals are unusually long.
Description
[edit]Diuris tricolor is a tuberous, perennial herb with up to three linear leaves 200–300 mm (8–10 in) long, 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide and folded lengthwise. Between two and six orange-coloured to yellow flowers with white and purplish tints, 25–30 mm (0.98–1.2 in) wide are borne on a flowering stem 200–400 mm (8–20 in) tall. The dorsal sepal curves upwards, 10–15 mm (0.4–0.6 in) long, 6–9 mm (0.2–0.4 in) wide and broadly egg-shaped. The lateral sepals are narrow linear, 20–65 mm (0.8–3 in) long, much less than 1 mm (0.04 in) wide and turned downwards. The petals are more or less erect or turned backwards, egg-shaped to elliptic, the blade 10–16 mm (0.4–0.6 in) long and 6–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) wide on a reddish purple stalk 3–7 mm (0.1–0.3 in) long. The labellum is 8–12 mm (0.3–0.5 in) long and has three lobes. The centre lobe is egg-shaped, 6–9 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long and wide with a central ridge. The side lobes are 3–4.5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long and about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide. There are two callus ridges about 4 mm (0.2 in) long near the mid-line of the labellum. Flowering occurs from September to November.[2][4][5]
Taxonomy and naming
[edit]Diuris tricolor was first formally described in 1885 by Robert FitzGerald and the description was published in the Journal of Botany, British and Foreign.[6][7] The specific epithet (tricolor) is derived from the Latin prefix tri- meaning "three",[8]: 798 and color meaning "hue", "tint" or "complexion".[8]: 219
In 1940, Herman Rupp described D. colemaniae[9] in honour of Edith Coleman and which he noted had shorter lateral sepals and a "quite different" labellum.[10] Diuris colemaniae is now regarded as a synonym of D. tricolor.[1]
Distribution
[edit]The long-tailed donkey orchid grows in grassland and forest in south-east Queensland, sporadically south from Deepwater in New South Wales, and in the Australian Capital Territory. A single specimen has been recorded in Victoria, just south of the border.[2][3][4]
Conservation
[edit]Diuris tricolor is classed as Vulnerable in New South Wales under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016.[3] The main threats to the species are habitat alteration and grazing by rabbits and goats.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Diuris tricolor". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
- ^ 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. pp. 133–134. ISBN 1877069124.
- ^ a b c d "Pine Donkey Orchid - profile". New South Wales Government Office of Environment and Heritage. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
- ^ a b Jones, David L. "Diuris tricolor". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
- ^ Jeanes, Jeff; Stajsic, Val. "Diuris tricolor". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
- ^ "Duiris tricolor". APNI. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
- ^ Fitzgerald, Robert D. (1885). "New Australian Orchids". Journal of Botany, British and Foreign. 23: 137–138. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
- ^ a b Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
- ^ "Duiris colemaniae". APNI. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
- ^ Rupp, Herman M.R. (1943). The Orchids of New South Wales. Glebe, N.S.W.: Australasian Medical Publishing Company. p. 13.