Rhizanthella slateri
Encyclopedia
Rhizanthella slateri, or the Eastern Underground Orchid, is a terrestrial saprophytic orchid with fleshy underground stem
to 15 cm long and 15 mm diameter.
A synonym is Cryptanthemis slateri Rupp (1932).
Rhizanthella slateri ranges from southeastern Queensland
to the south coast of New South Wales
. In NSW, it is currently only known from fewer than 10 locations, including near Bulahdelah, the Watagan Mountains
, the Blue Mountains, Wisemans Ferry
area, Agnes Banks and near Nowra
. At each location, only a few individuals are known. However, Rhizanthella slateri is difficult to detect; it is usually located when the soil is disturbed, and there may well be more locations of the species within its known range. The species grows in eucalypt
forest but no informative assessment of the likely preferred habitat for the species is available.
It is whitish, often branching, with prominent, fleshy, overlapping bract
s. It is an achlorophyllous orchid growing entirely underground. Only the flowers eventually break the surface beneath the leaf litter, to allow pollination by flies or insects.
The small, purplish, tubular, flower
s number up to 30. The flowering heads are about 2 cm wide. They mature below the soil surface or extend 2 cm above the ground. The receptacle of up to 18 whitish triangular bracts is about 8 mm long. The orchid flowers in October and November.
The dorsal sepal
curved, with the tip narrowing linear to filiform and a broad base. It is hooding the column
and most of the 2 lateral petal
s. These lateral sepals are erect and broad at base. But each lateral sepal is folding lengthwise into a filiform tip longer than the dorsal sepal and often protruding beyond the length of bracts making the cup. Lateral petals are about half the length of the lateral sepals.
The lip
claw is a short, flexible hinge. The labellum lamina are cordate, thick, tongue-like with the upper surface covered with fine papillae.
The column is short and broad with column wings reduced to narrow, papillose 'ears'. The anther is broad and curving with the stigma a thickened pad.
Plant stem
A stem is one of two main structural axes of a vascular plant. The stem is normally divided into nodes and internodes, the nodes hold buds which grow into one or more leaves, inflorescence , conifer cones, roots, other stems etc. The internodes distance one node from another...
to 15 cm long and 15 mm diameter.
A synonym is Cryptanthemis slateri Rupp (1932).
Rhizanthella slateri ranges from southeastern Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
to the south coast of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. In NSW, it is currently only known from fewer than 10 locations, including near Bulahdelah, the Watagan Mountains
Watagan Mountains
The Watagan Mountains are located on the East Coast of New South Wales, Australia. They are between the Hunter River Catchment and the Tuggerah Lakes. The Watagans are a popular tourist location and are close to Newcastle, Sydney and the Central Coast....
, the Blue Mountains, Wisemans Ferry
Wisemans Ferry, New South Wales
Wisemans Ferry is a town north of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Wisemans Ferry is located 75 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government areas of Hornsby Shire, The Hills Shire, City of Hawkesbury and City of Gosford.The town is a...
area, Agnes Banks and near Nowra
Nowra, New South Wales
Nowra is a city in the South Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. Located SSW and approximately by road south of the state capital of Sydney, it has an estimated population together with its twin-town of Bomaderry of 34,479. It is also the seat and commercial centre of the City of Shoalhaven...
. At each location, only a few individuals are known. However, Rhizanthella slateri is difficult to detect; it is usually located when the soil is disturbed, and there may well be more locations of the species within its known range. The species grows in eucalypt
Eucalypt
Eucalypts are woody plants belonging to three closely related genera:Eucalyptus, Corymbia and Angophora.In 1995 new evidence, largely genetic, indicated that some prominent Eucalyptus species were actually more closely related to Angophora than to the other eucalypts; they were split off into the...
forest but no informative assessment of the likely preferred habitat for the species is available.
It is whitish, often branching, with prominent, fleshy, overlapping bract
Bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis, or cone scale. Bracts are often different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of a different color, shape, or texture...
s. It is an achlorophyllous orchid growing entirely underground. Only the flowers eventually break the surface beneath the leaf litter, to allow pollination by flies or insects.
The small, purplish, tubular, flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s number up to 30. The flowering heads are about 2 cm wide. They mature below the soil surface or extend 2 cm above the ground. The receptacle of up to 18 whitish triangular bracts is about 8 mm long. The orchid flowers in October and November.
The dorsal sepal
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
curved, with the tip narrowing linear to filiform and a broad base. It is hooding the column
Column (botany)
The column, or technically the gynostemium, is a reproductive structure that can be found in several plant families: Aristolochiaceae, Orchidaceae, and Stylidiaceae....
and most of the 2 lateral petal
Petal
Petals are modified leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They often are brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. Together, all of the petals of a flower are called a corolla. Petals are usually accompanied by another set of special leaves called sepals lying...
s. These lateral sepals are erect and broad at base. But each lateral sepal is folding lengthwise into a filiform tip longer than the dorsal sepal and often protruding beyond the length of bracts making the cup. Lateral petals are about half the length of the lateral sepals.
The lip
Labellum
Labellum is the Latin diminutive of labium, meaning lip. These are anatomical terms used descriptively in biology, for example in Entomology and botany.-Botany:...
claw is a short, flexible hinge. The labellum lamina are cordate, thick, tongue-like with the upper surface covered with fine papillae.
The column is short and broad with column wings reduced to narrow, papillose 'ears'. The anther is broad and curving with the stigma a thickened pad.