Diuris longifolia

Diuris longifolia is a species of orchid which is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a variety of common names including purple pansy orchid, donkey orchid, common donkey orchid and wallflower orchid.[1] It was one of the first three terrestrial orchids to be named from Western Australia, along with Caladenia menziesii (now Leptoceras menziesii) and Caladenia flava.[2]

Purple pansy orchid
Diuris longifolia growing in Mount Barker.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Genus: Diuris
Species:
D. longifolia
Binomial name
Diuris longifolia

Description

Diuris longifolia is a tuberous, perennial herb with channelled, linear leaves 10–20 cm long. The flowers are 2.5–4.5 cm long,[3] coloured purple, yellow and brown and appear from September to November.[4]

Taxonomy and naming

The species was first described by Robert Brown on page 316 of his Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen published in 1810.[5] The type specimen was collected by Archibald Menzies near Frenchmans Bay, the present site of the city of Albany around late September or early October 1791. Menzies was surgeon and naturalist on HMS Discovery on the Vancouver Expedition commanded by Captain George Vancouver.[2]

The specific epithet (longifolia) is derived from the Latin words longus meaning "long"[6]:494 and folium meaning "leaf".[6]:466

Distribution and habitat

The species is endemic to the south-western corner of Western Australia, occurring in the Jarrah Forest, Swan Coastal Plain and Warren biogeographical regions. It grows in sand, lateritic loam, clay and granite in moist situations.[7]

Conservation status

Diuris longifolia is not threatened at present.[4]

References
  1. "Diuris longifoliaR.Br". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
  2. Heberle, Ron L. (May 2010). History of orchid collecting in south western Australia 1791 - 1971. The Species Orchid Society of Western Australia (Inc). Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  3. Erickson, Rica; George, Alex; Marchant, Neville; Morcombe, Michael (1982). Flowers and plants of Western Australia (Reprinted 1983 ed.). Sydney: Reed. p. 41. ISBN 058950116X.
  4. "Diuris longifoliaR.Br". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  5. Brown, Robert (1810). Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen. London. p. 316. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  6. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
  7. Paczkowska, Grazyna; Chapman, Alex R. (2000). The Western Australian flora : a descriptive catalogue. Perth: Wildflower Society of Western Australia. p. 84. ISBN 0646402439.
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