Dipodium atropurpureum

Dipodium atropurpureum
D. atropurpureum at New England National Park in January
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Tribe: Cymbidieae
Genus: Dipodium
Species: D. atropurpureum
Binomial name
Dipodium atropurpureum
D.L.Jones[1][2]

Dipodium atropurpureum is a leafless mycoheterotrophic orchid that is endemic to New South Wales in Australia.

Description

For most of the year, plants are dormant and have no above-ground presence. Below the ground lie fleshy roots. The racemose inflorescence that appears in summer is a long stem up to 70 cm high supporting 15 to 40 reddish-purple fleshy bell-shaped flowers with darker blotches.[3] The tips of the petals and sepals are strongly recurved.[3] The species was formally described in 1991 by Australian botanist David Lloyd Jones. The type specimen was collected east of Walcha.[1]

Ecology

Pollination of this species, as for all species in the genus, is by native bees and wasps.[4]

Cultivation

No leafless species of Dipodium has been sustained in cultivation due to the inability to replicate its association with mycorrhizal fungi in a horticultural context.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 "Dipodium atropurpureum D.L.Jones". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  2. ↑ "Dipodium atropurpureum D.L.Jones". The Plant List version 1.1. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  3. 1 2 Weston, P.H. " Dipodium atropurpureum D.L.Jones". PlantNET - New South Wales Flora Online. Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney Australia. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
  4. 1 2 Jones, David L. (2006). A complete guide to native orchids of Australia, including the island territories. Australia: Reed New Holland Publishers. ISBN 9781877069123.

External links

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