Liparis simmondsii, commonly known as the coastal sprite orchid,[2] is a plant in the orchid family and is endemic to Queensland. It is a terrestrial orchid with two or three egg-shaped leaves and between three and fifteen deep reddish purple flowers with a green column. It grows in near-coastal rainforest.
| Coastal sprite orchid | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Epidendroideae |
| Subtribe: | Malaxidinae |
| Genus: | Liparis |
| Species: | L. simmondsii
|
| Binomial name | |
| Liparis simmondsii | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
Description
editLiparis simmondsii is a terrestrial herb with between two and four curved, tapering stems, each 60–80 mm (2–3 in) and 7–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) wide. Each stem has two or three egg-shaped, pleated leaves 80–120 mm (3–5 in) long and 40–60 mm (1.6–2.4 in) wide with wavy edges on a stalk up to 20 mm (0.8 in) long. Between three and fifteen deep reddish purple flowers, 8–12 mm (0.3–0.5 in) long and 10–15 mm (0.4–0.6 in) wide are borne on a flowering stem 150–250 mm (6–10 in) long. The dorsal sepal is 9–11 mm (0.35–0.43 in) long, about 3 mm (0.1 in) wide and the lateral sepals are a similar length, about 4 mm (0.2 in) wide with their tips twisted. The petals are also a similar length but only about 1 mm (0.04 in) wide. The labellum is 8–9 mm (0.31–0.35 in) long and 6–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide with a square-cut or rounded tip and turns sharply downwards. The column is green. Flowering occurs between December and February.[2][3][4]
Taxonomy and naming
editLiparis simmondsii was first formally described in 1891 by Frederick Manson Bailey and the description was published in the Department of Agriculture Queensland, Botany Bulletin.[5] The specific epithet (simmondsii) honours John Howard Simmonds.[5][6]
Distribution and habitat
editThe coastal sprite orchid grows in coastal rainforest between Fraser Island and Maroochydore. There is a doubtful record from the upper Brunswick River in northern New South Wales.[2][3]
References
edit- ^ a b "Liparis simmondsii". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- ^ a b c Jones, David L. (2006). A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. p. 358. ISBN 1877069124.
- ^ a b "Liparis simmondsii". Queensland Government Department of Environment and Science. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
- ^ Harden, Gwen, ed. (1993). Flora of New South Wales (Volume 4). Kensington, N.S.W.: New South Wales University Press. p. 226. ISBN 0868401889.
- ^ a b "Liparis simmondsii". APNI. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
- ^ Dowe, John Leslie (2017). "A family's contribution to Queensland botany: John Howard Simmonds [Snr] (1862–1955), Rose Simmonds (née Culpin) (1877–1960) and John Howard Simmonds [Jnr] (1901–1992)" (PDF). Austrobaileya. 10 (1): 168–183. Retrieved 25 October 2018.