Diuris brumalis

Diuris brumalis, commonly known as the winter donkey orchid,[1] is a species of orchid that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is one of the first species of donkey orchid to flower in Western Australia each year and its flowers have been shown to attract the same insects that pollinate other species, but without offering a food reward.

Winter donkey orchid
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Genus: Diuris
Species:
D. brumalis
Binomial name
Diuris brumalis

Description

Diuris brumalis is a tuberous, perennial herb, usually growing to a height of 200–500 mm (8–20 in). Two or three leaves emerge at the base of the flowering stem, each leaf 150–200 mm (6–8 in) long and 8–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) wide. Between three and fifteen yellow and brown flowers are borne on the flowering stem and each is 20–40 mm (0.8–2 in) long and 20–30 mm (0.8–1 in) wide. The dorsal sepal is erect, 6–12 mm (0.2–0.5 in) long and 7–15 mm (0.3–0.6 in) wide and the greenish lateral sepals are 12–24 mm (0.5–0.9 in) long, about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide and turn downwards. The ear-like petals are erect with a stalk 2–6 mm (0.08–0.2 in) long and a blade 10–18 mm (0.4–0.7 in) long and 6–12 mm (0.2–0.5 in) wide. The labellum has three lobes, the lateral ones 6–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long and 3–6 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide. The middle lobe is wedge-shaped, 5–9 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long and 3–7 mm (0.1–0.3 in) wide. There is a single yellow ridge 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) in the mid-line of the labellum. Flowering occurs from June to August.[1][2][3]

Taxonomy and naming

Diuris brumalis was first described in 1991 by David Jones from a specimen collected near Kalamunda and the description was published in Australian Orchid Research.[4] The specific epithet (brumalis) is a Latin word meaning "of the shortest day",[5] referring to the winter flowering of this species.[6]

Distribution and habitat

The winter donkey orchid grows in shrubland and forest between Jurien Bay and Collie in the Avon Wheatbelt, Jarrah Forest and Swan Coastal Plain biogeographical regions of Western Australia.[1][7]

Ecology

The flowers of this orchid resemble those of some Oxylobium and Daviesia species and are visited by the same native bees that pollinate them, even though the orchid does not reward the insects with nectar or pollen.[3]

Conservation

Diuris brumalis is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.[7]

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References
  1. Brown, Andrew; Dundas, Pat; Dixon, Kingsley; Hopper, Stephen (2008). Orchids of Western Australia. Crawley, Western Australia: University of Western Australia Press. p. 206. ISBN 9780980296457.
  2. Jones, David L. (2006). A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. p. 134. ISBN 1877069124.
  3. Hoffman, Noel; Brown, Andrew (2011). Orchids of South-West Australia (3rd ed.). Gooseberry Hill: Noel Hoffman. p. 461. ISBN 9780646562322.
  4. "Duiris brumalis". APNI. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  5. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 169.
  6. Jones, David L. (1991). "New taxa of Australian Orchidaceae". Australian orchid Research. 2: 53.
  7. "Diuris brumalis". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
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