Sun Orchid at Acton, ACT
Identification history
| Thelymitra sp. (pauciflora complex) | 1 Nov 2019 | CathB | ||
| Thelymitra brevifolia | 31 Oct 2019 | shoko | ||
| Thelymitra pauciflora | 30 Oct 2019 | shoko |
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9 comments
MattM
wrote:
31 Oct 2019
From what I can make out of the leaf it looks like it might be a bit too wide and too flat for pauciflora. Can you remember if the leaf was flat or deeply grooved? Going through the field guide, I feel T. arenaria ticks more boxes than pauciflora.
Perhaps Cath or Tobias might have some suggestions?
Perhaps Cath or Tobias might have some suggestions?
shoko
wrote:
31 Oct 2019
Thanks Matt, I'm going out to the site again tomorrow so will check the leaf and take more photos to upload.
shoko
wrote:
1 Nov 2019
I've uploaded a closer shot of the base of the stem and what was left of the leaf, it was flat without channels. I've also uploaded another photo taken yesterday of the top flower. The height of the plant was about 24cm. I did have a suggestion that it might be T. brevifolia so have re-suggested accordingly.
MattM
wrote:
1 Nov 2019
Unfortunately I am still not confident enough to ID this plant as I feel each characteristic for ID is quite subjective. The leaf appears to be ribbed, which is mentioned as a charecteristic of arenaria, and the column is brown towards the top and yellow at the apex. From what I can tell, the column of brevifolia is darker brown to black near the top with a yellow to orange apex which is sometimes deeply notched. I also feel the shape of the column arms looks like pauciflora, but it is a bit hard to tell from these photos.
shoko
wrote:
1 Nov 2019
It was unfortunate for me that the day I took the photos of the flowers they weren't open enough to get a clearer image of the column from other angles. The flower has most likely self-pollinated and closed up shop for the year, so unless there are other means to ID this plant or if someone else has a better idea of the supposed species I guess the ID will have to wait for another year..
MattM
wrote:
1 Nov 2019
I think you did well to get the photos that you did. Thelymitra are fickle things, and the pauciflora complex is especially challenging to ID. Most Canberra Nature Map Thelymitra sightings have only been identified to genus level, even when the 'perfect' shot has been provided.
shoko
wrote:
1 Nov 2019
Thanks Matt. I've read and discussed about the common hybridisation events that happen in Thelymitras, and because they self-pollinate they seem to be in a good position to persist for a few generations, or even longer and evolve independent lineages that can be deciphered through genetic studies. It is an intriguing genus with so much research potential!
CathB
wrote:
1 Nov 2019
It will always be difficult to identify these species from photos. The differences in the flowers are subtle, even if they do open fully, and the leaves are often missing. Tobias and I discussed how best to deal with this with Mark Clements, and came up with the categories pauciflora complex and nuda complex for situations like this.
shoko
wrote:
1 Nov 2019
Thanks Cath, I can live with that resolution. Looks like it's the first in the category as well, should go and find some more!
Location information
- Maps Black Mountain
- Places Acton, ACT
Sighting information
- 1 Abundance
- shoko Recorded by
-
Collections
shoko Canberra & Southern Tablelands NatureMapr Thelymitra sp. (pauciflora complex) Orchids Plants
Additional information
- True In flower
Species information
- Thelymitra sp. (pauciflora complex) Scientific name
- Sun Orchid Common name
- Sensitive
- Local native
- Non-invasive or negligible
- Up to 1029m Recorded at altitude
-
In flower
Record quality
- Images or audio
- More than one media file
- Verified by an expert moderator
- Nearby sighting(s) of same species
- GPS evidence of location
- Description
- Additional attributes