Chiloglottis

Chiloglottis, commonly known as wasp orchids, ant orchids or bird orchids,[2] is a genus of about 25 species of flowering plants in the orchid family, Orchidaceae and is found in eastern Australia and New Zealand. Wasp orchids are terrestrial herbs which grow in colonies of genetically identical plants. They usually have two leaves at the base of the plant and a single resupinate ("upside-down") flower. The labellum is more or less diamond-shaped and has calli resembling the body of a wingless female wasp.[2][3]

Labelled image of Chiloglottis formicifera

Wasp orchids
Chiloglottis reflexa
the short-clubbed wasp orchid
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Subtribe: Drakaeinae
Genus: Chiloglottis
R.Br., 1810
Type species
Chiloglottis diphylla
Synonyms[1]
  • Simpliglottis Szlach.
  • × Chilosimpliglottis Jeanes
  • Myrmechila D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem.

Taxonomy and naming

The genus Chiloglottis was first formally described in 1810 by Robert Brown. Brown described Chiloglottis diphylla at the same time, making it the type species.[4][5]

David Jones has transferred some species, especially those commonly known as "bird orchids" (Simpliglottis) and "ant orchids" (Myrmechila) to other genera, but the change has not been widely accepted.[6]

Distribution

This genus of orchids is native to Australia and New Zealand (including Chatham Island and the Antipodes Islands).[1][2]

Ecology

The flowers of wasp, ant and bird orchids are pollinated by sexual deception (pseudocopulation) of thynnine wasps, except for C. cornuta which is self-pollinating. A key feature is that each species of orchid is pollinated by a different species of wasp.[7]

Male wasps are attracted by wind-borne pheromones released by glands on the sepals of the flowers. They usually land on the labellum, on another part of the plant or nearby and then walk or fly to the labellum. They crawl over the labellum, searching for the female wasp. They then attempt to lift and fly away with the dummy female but this action brings them into contact with the column. If the insect has pollinia from another orchid on its back, the contained pollen will attach to the sticky stigma. Alternatively, if there are no pollinia on its back, the insect may move backward, receive a coat of glue from the flower's rostellum, then push open the anther and removing any pollinia present, which adhere to the insect's thorax.[2][7]

List of species

References
  1. Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  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. 138. ISBN 1877069124.
  3. Jones, David L. (1998). "Contributions to Tasmanian Orchidology". Australian Orchid Research. 3: 62.
  4. "Chiloglottis". APNI. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  5. Brown, Robert (1810). Prodromus florae Novae Hollandiae et insulae Van-Diemen, exhibens characteres plantarum quas annis 1802-1805. London. pp. 322–323. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  6. "Chiloglottis". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  7. Bower, Colin (2007). "The Wasp, Ant and Bird Orchids of the Chiloglottis Alliance". The Orchadian. 15 (9): 401–416.
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