Twisted sun orchid (Thelymitra flexuosa)
Description
Thelymitra flexuosa, known as the twisted sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to southern Australia. It has a single thin, wiry leaf and up to four cream-coloured to canary yellow flowers with four rows of short hairs on the back of the column. It is a common and widespread species, superficially similar to T. antennifera. Thelymitra flexuosa is a tuberous, perennial herb with a single wiry, linear leaf 60–150 mm (2–6 in) long and 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide. Up to four cream-coloured to canary yellow 10–15 mm (0.4–0.6 in) wide borne on a flowering stem 200–350 mm (8–10 in) tall. The sepals and petals are 5.5–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and about 4 mm (0.2 in) wide. The labellum (the lowest petal) is shorter and narrower than the other petals and sepals. The column is white to cream-coloured, 4.5–5 mm (0.18–0.20 in) long and about 2.5 mm (0.1 in) wide with four lines of short hairs on its back. The lobe on the top of the anther is short with a few brown glands on its back. The side lobes are bright yellow and covered with short hairs. The flowers are short-lived, self-pollinating and open only slowly on hot, humid days. Flowering occurs from September to November
Taxonomic tree
-
Domain: Eukarya
-
-
Kingdom: Plantae
-
-
Phylum:
-
-
Class: Liliopsida
-
-
Order: Asparagales
-
-
Family: Orchidaceae
-
-
Genus: Thelymitra
-
-
-
-
-
-
