Thelymitra pauciflora

Slender Sun Orchid at Tennent, ACT

Thelymitra pauciflora at Tennent, ACT - 4 Dec 2022
Thelymitra pauciflora at Tennent, ACT - 4 Dec 2022
Thelymitra pauciflora at Tennent, ACT - 4 Dec 2022
Thelymitra pauciflora at Tennent, ACT - 4 Dec 2022
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Identification history

Thelymitra pauciflora 15 Jan 2023 MattM
Thelymitra arenaria 23 Dec 2022 Tapirlord

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User's notes

On their last flower, maybe T.pauciflora

3 comments

Tapirlord wrote:
   10 Feb 2023
Hi @MattM & @DerekC I sought advice on these photos which has been in the works for sometime but has finally come through. Comments go as follows.

Pack-man shaped post anther lobe from top, short squat column that looks like a russian doll from the front, short Lateral arms/trichomes that look like pom poms, 3 strong lines in the lateral sepals and a single strong line in the petals. Also wide fleshy leaf ranging from u-shaped to flat wedge. Annoyingly immature plants produce small pauciflora sized flowers!

I'm told that these factor suggest T.arenaria as per my original suggestion.
MattM wrote:
   11 Feb 2023
I’m not sure how to approach this then. The key splits arenaria and pauciflora based on trichomes glabrous or not at the base, which admittedly isn’t apparent in these images and requires a side on view. I can’t find anything in my guides that mention the lines on the tepals. I would say that the leaf being ribbed is the strongest factor in making this arenaria.

Unfortunately I am not familiar enough with Thelymitra to make a more confident assessment.
Tapirlord wrote:
   12 Feb 2023
Thanks Matt I appreciate you advice as always, I'm not sure what to make of the complex either so will continue to pursue this.

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Location information

Sighting information

  • 8 Abundance
  • 4 Dec 2022 11:56 AM Recorded on
  • Tapirlord Recorded by

Additional information

  • Less than 10cm Plant height
  • True In flower

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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