Thelymitra sp.

A Sun Orchid at Cotter River, ACT

Thelymitra sp. at Cotter River, ACT - 2 Dec 2018
Thelymitra sp. at Cotter River, ACT - 2 Dec 2018
Thelymitra sp. at Cotter River, ACT - 2 Dec 2018
Thelymitra sp. at Cotter River, ACT - 2 Dec 2018
Thelymitra sp. at Cotter River, ACT - 2 Dec 2018
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Identification history

Thelymitra sp. 14 Feb 2019 TobiasHayashi
Thelymitra sp. 2 Dec 2018 GlenRyan

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User's notes

Lots of Thelymitra in this general area with some variation in leaf, flower and form (I'll post a few variations across several sightings). This single plant was slightly back from the actual roadside and on the edge of the forest. The more shaded position, flower colour, broader leaves and longer stems (45cm - falling over this plant) reminded me of the plants in the 2017 sighting 3387170 (identified as T. megcalyptra). This sighting had the broadest leaves of any Thelymitra seen at this location - noticeably different to nearby plants in more sun next to the road. Glen

2 comments

TobiasHayashi wrote:
   15 Feb 2019
Sorry that all of these sightings ended up as Thelymitra sp. or sp. nuda complex. After discussions with Mark Clements and Cath Busby, we decided that none of us were confident identifying the nuda complex down to species, hence the creation of a nuda complex category. This species complex includes T nuda, T alpina and T megcalyptra in the local region.
This particular sighting looks a little different to me, but its not clear to me what it should be. Hence the broader Thelymitra species definition here.
Thanks for documenting all these variations (and for challenging us to identify them!).
GlenRyan wrote:
   15 Feb 2019
Hi Tobias - thanks for working through all these sightings. I thought if I logged a few variations this year it might make them simpler to ID - but as I went on I seemed to just be finding more variations rather than a clear pattern emerging. Thelymitra sp. nuda complex it is then (plus this one!) Cheers Glen.

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Location information

Sighting information

  • 1 Abundance
  • 2 Dec 2018 01:07 PM Recorded on
  • GlenRyan Recorded by

Additional information

  • True In flower
  • 30cm to 1 metre Plant height

Species information

Record quality

  • Images or audio
  • More than one media file
  • Confirmed by an expert moderator
  • Nearby sighting(s) of same species
  • GPS evidence of location
  • Description
  • Additional attributes
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