New Zealand Native Orchids

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Corybas carsei

Banded Helmet Orchid

Whangamarino Wetland. Photo: Catherine Beard
Photo: Catherine Beard
Recorded distribution
Recorded distribution

Plant

To 30 mm tall, leaf ovate, clasping the stem.

Flowers

10 cm long, Labellum tubular under a saddle-shaped dorsal sepal, tip sometimes notched. Lateral sepals and petals almost invisible, shorter than labellum.

Flowering

August - November.

Habitat

Confined to peat bogs, particularly wire rush bogs.

Conservation

Threatened - Nationally Critical.

Notes

Similar to C. rotundifolius but the latter is a kauri forest species and lacks the lower lip to the labellum.

Key features

Peat bog habitat; lateral sepals and petals very reduced, dorsal sepal notched.

Photos

Whangamarino Wetland. Photo: Catherine Beard
Whangamarino Wetland. Photo: Catherine Beard
Whangamarino Wetland. Photo: Catherine Beard
Whangamarino - Waikato. Photo: Eric Scanlen
Whangamarino - Waikato. Photo: Dan Hatch
Plant with dehisced seed capsule, Whangamarino Wetland 28 January 2014. Photo: Bill Campbell
Habitat, Whangamarino Wetland 28 January 2014. Photo: Bill Campbell
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Spider orchids (Corybas)
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