Tropidia viridifusca

Tropidia viridifusca, commonly known as the dark crown orchid,[2] is an evergreen, terrestrial plant with thin, pleated, dark green leaves on a thin, upright stem with up to seven green and brown flowers crowded on a short flowering stem on top. It is only known from three Pacific Islands near Australia.

Dark crown orchid
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Tribe: Tropidieae
Genus: Tropidia
Species:
T. viridifusca
Binomial name
Tropidia viridifusca

Description

Tropidia viridifusca is an evergreen, terrestrial herb with thin but tough, upright stems 150–300 mm (6–10 in) tall with between four and seven thin, pleated, dark green leaves 50–150 mm (2–6 in) long and 10–20 mm (0.4–0.8 in) wide. The leaves have three prominent veins. Above the leaves is a flowering stem about 10 mm (0.4 in) long with between two and seven green and brown flowers. The flowers open widely and are 8–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long and 6–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide. The sepal are 8–9 mm (0.31–0.35 in) long and 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide with the lateral sepals spreading widely apart from each other. The petals are 7–8 mm (0.28–0.31 in) long and 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) wide. The labellum is 6–8 mm (0.24–0.31 in) long, about 3 mm (0.1 in) wide and brown to almost black with a thick pouch at its base. Flowering occurs between December and January.[2][3]

Taxonomy and naming

Tropidia viridifusca was first formally described in 1929 by Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Kraenzlin and the description was published in Vierteljahrsschrift der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft in Zürich.[1][4] The specific epithet (viridifusca) is derived from the Latin words viridis meaning "green"[5]:837 and fuscus meaning "dusky" or "tawny".[5]:168

Distribution and habitat

The dark crown is only known from Grande Terre in New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Norfolk Island where it grows on slopes in shady forest.[2][6][7]

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References
  1. "Tropidia viridifusca". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  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. 365. ISBN 1877069124.
  3. "Tropidia territorialis". Trin keys. Retrieved 5 November 2018.
  4. Kraenzlin, Friedrich W.L. (1929). "Neu -Caledonische Orchidaceen" (PDF). Vierteljahrsschrift der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft in Zürich. 74: 71. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
  5. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
  6. "Topidiia viridifusca". Fauna and flora of New Caledonia. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
  7. Coyne, Peter (2011). Norfolk Island's Fascinating Flora (1st ed.). Belconnen, A.C.T.: Petaurus Publishing. p. 136. ISBN 9780980652826.
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