Blotched hyacinth-orchid (Dipodium variegatum)
Description
Dipodium variegatum, commonly known as blotched hyacinth-orchid or slender hyacinth-orchid, is a leafless mycoheterotrophic orchid that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It forms mycorrhizal relationships with fungi of the genus Russula. For most of the year, plants are dormant and have no above-ground presence. Below the ground lie fleshy roots. Flower spikes between 30 and 60 cm in height appear between August and February. These racemose inflorescences have 2 to 50 cream to light green fleshy flowers with maroon blotches. The sepals and petals are slightly recurved and the three-lobed labellum is maroon or mauve with mauve hairs. A form with tepals and petals that are completely dark maroon is found in Tallebudgera in Queensland. This species may be distinguished from others in the genus by spots on both the pedicels and ovaries.
Taxonomic tree
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Domain: Eukarya
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Kingdom: Plantae
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Phylum:
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Class: Liliopsida
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Order: Asparagales
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Family: Orchidaceae
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Genus: Dipodium
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