Corybas pruinosus

Corybas pruinosus, commonly known as the toothed helmet orchid,[2] is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to New South Wales. It grows in moist forests and has a single round or heart-shaped leaf and a relatively small, translucent grey flower with dark red markings.

Toothed helmet orchid
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Genus: Corybas
Species:
C. dowlingii
Binomial name
Corybas dowlingii
Synonyms[1]

Description

Corybas pruinosus is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with a single round or heart-shaped leaf 8–30 mm (0.3–1 in) long and 10–20 mm (0.4–0.8 in) wide. The leaf is green on the upper surface and silvery green on the lower side. There is a single translucent grey flower with dark red markings. The dorsal sepal is 20–28 mm (0.8–1 in) long and 10–13 mm (0.4–0.5 in) wide curves forward over the labellum. The lateral sepals are linear, 7–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long and 1 mm (0.04 in) wide and the petals are about 6 mm (0.2 in) long and 1 mm (0.04 in) wide, often with two points on the tip. The labellum is 9–12 mm (0.4–0.5 in) long and 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) wide with a greyish mound in the cente, many short bristles and its edges with many long, narrow teeth. Flowering occurs from April to July.[2][3]

Taxonomy

The toothed helmet orchid was first formally described in 1871 by Richard Cunningham and given the name Corysanthes pruinosa. The description was published in the New South Wales Magazine.[4] In 1871, Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach changed the name to Corybas pruinosus.[5] The specific epithet (pruinosus) is a Latin word meaning "frosty" or "rimy".[6]

Distribution and habitat

The toothed helmet orchid grows in forest with shrubs between Nelson Bay, Moruya and Paterson.[2][3]

References
  1. "Corybas pruinosus". 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. 172. ISBN 1877069124.
  3. Jones, David L. "Corybas pruinosus". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  4. "Corysanthes pruinosa". APNI. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  5. "Corybas pruinosus". APNI. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  6. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 382.
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