Common snout orchid (Dienia ophrydis)
Description
Dienia montana (listed as Malaxis latifolia) is a deciduous terrestrial orchid. Its leaves are ovate, thin textured, bright green, to 30 cm x 9 cm, sheathing at the base, with wavy margins. The flower stem grows to 30 cm tall, bearing green-brown or purplish flowers. The lower lip of the flower has three blunt apical teeth, the central one being longest and upturned. Plants are conspicuous when in flower but are very difficult to detect when dormant. A review of the Genus Malaxis by Clements and Jones (1996) proposed raising several subgenera to full genera, including Dienia. It is now recognised that the taxon in the Northern Territory (NT) is D. montana and is separate from D. latifolia, which occurs on Cape York. Flowering: February- May.
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: Dienia
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