Thelymitra cyanea

Thelymitra cyanea, commonly known as the veined sun orchid in Australia[3] and as the swamp sun orchid or striped sun orchid in New Zealand,[4] is a species of orchid which is native to New Zealand and south-eastern Australia. It has a single erect, fleshy, channelled leaf and up to five bright blue flowers with darker blue veins. It is usually found growing in swamps, sphagnum bogs, and subalpine herbfields, often in clonal colonies.

Habit in Te Anau wetlands

Veined sun orchid
Thelymitra cyanea in Mount Buffalo National Park
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Genus: Thelymitra
Species:
T. cyanea
Binomial name
Thelymitra cyanea
Synonyms[2]
  • Macdonaldia cyanea Lindl.
  • Thelymitra venosa var. cyanea (Lindl.) Hatch
  • Thelymitra uniflora Hook.f.
  • Thelymitra venosa var. cedricsmithii Hatch

Description

Thelymitra cyanea is a tuberous, perennial herb with a single erect, fleshy, channelled, linear leaf 150–250 mm (6–10 in) long and 5–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide. Up to five bright blue flowers with darker veins, 20–30 mm (0.8–1 in) wide are borne on a flowering stem 200–400 mm (8–20 in) tall. There are usually and two bracts on the flowering stem. The sepals and petals are 12–16 mm (0.5–0.6 in) long and 8–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) wide but the lavellum (the lowest petal) is larger than the other petals and sepals. The column is white to pale blue, 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) long and about 3 mm (0.12 in) wide. The side arms of the column are yellow, with a twisted or toothed tip. The flowers are often self-pollinating and open on warm sunny days. Flowering occurs from November to March.[3][4][5][6][7]

Taxonomy and naming

The veined sun orchid was first formally described in 1840 by John Lindley and given the name Macdonaldia cyanea. The description was published in his book A Sketch of the Vegetation of the Swan River Colony.[8] In 1873 George Bentham changed the name to Thelymitra cyanea and published the change in Flora Australiensis.[9] The specific epithet (cyanea) is derived from the Ancient Greek word kyanos meaning "dark blue".[10]

Distribution and habitat

Thelymitra cyanea is widespread and often common in many parts of south-eastern Australia and New Zealand. It grows in damp to wet boggy places, mainly in montane and subalpine habitats. In New Zealand it is widespread on the North, South and Chatham Islands. In New South Wales it is found on the tablelands south from Ebor, in south-eastern Victoria and in Tasmania. In South Australia it is restricted to near Mount Compass.[3][4][6][7][11]

Conservation

This orchid is widespread and common, but listed as "endangered" in South Australia where most of its former habitat has been drained and is now under cultivation.[12]

References
  1. Romand-Monnier, F. (2013). Thelymitra cyanea. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013: e.T44392554A44442023. https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T44392554A44442023.en. Downloaded on 12 November 2018.
  2. "Thelymitra cyanea". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  3. Jones, David L. (2006). A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. pp. 249–250. ISBN 1877069124.
  4. "Thelymitra cyanea". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  5. Jeanes, Jeffrey A. 2012. Two new rare species in the Thelymitra venosa complex (Orchidaceae) from south-eastern mainland Australia. Muelleria, 30(1): 8-22.
  6. Jeanes, Jeff. "Thelymitra cyanea". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  7. Bernhardt, Peter. "Thelymitra cyanea". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  8. "Macdonaldia cyanea". Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  9. "Thelymitra cyanea". Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  10. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 153.
  11. "Thelymitra cyanea". New Zealand Native Orchid Group. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  12. "Threatened species profile - Thelymitra cyanea" (PDF). Government of South Australia Department for Environment and Heritage. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
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