Family: Orchidaceae
Plant: A common terrestrial orchid 10-20cm high.
Flowers: 1-10 insect-like flowers about 1cm long and 5-7mm wide with pointed segments in a raceme at the end of an erect 10-20cm stalk. The dorsal sepal is a translucent pinkish hood and the labellum is green or dark purplish red with a thick warty callus.
Flowering: May-August.
Fruit: Green capsule
Leaves: Solitary, basal, heart-shaped 1-4cm long and 1-3cm wide and located just above the soil level. The leaves are green on top and purplish-red on the underside.
Habitat: Forms large colonies in both wet and dry sclerophyll forest.
Features: Heart-shaped leaves just above soil level. Leaves green on top and purplish-red on the underside. Translucent pinkish hood on flowers and pointed flower segments.
Name:
Acianthus From Greek akis = a sharp point and anthos = a flower (referring to its finely pointed flower segments).
fornicatus From Latin fornicus = hooded and atus = like (referring to its arched dorsal sepal).
Type |
Herb |
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Flowers |
Form |
Irregular, Cluster |
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Colour(s) |
Pink, Green, Purple |
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Petal/Sepal No. |
6 |
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Flowering Month |
5, 6, 7, 8 |
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Fruit |
Type |
Capsule |
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Colour |
Green |
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Other Features |
- |
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Leaves |
Arrangement |
Basal |
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Type |
Simple |
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Shape |
Heart-shaped |
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Length |
Short |
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Margins |
Entire |
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Attachment |
Unstalked |
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Other Features |
Discolorous |
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Bark |
- |
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Habitat |
Wet sclerophyll forest, |
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Dry sclerophyll forest |
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