Journal Number 105
November 2007


ELEMENTARY ED HATCH

Miscellaneous Terrestrials 3
Drawings by Bruce Irwin and Ian St George

     
Chiloglottis
(the tongue-shaped labellum)
   
     

Chiloglottis cornuta

 

Chiloglottis cornuta
(the labellum with its distinct calli)

Leaves usually 2, oblong-lanceolate.
Flower green, on a short peduncle, usually solitary.
Labellum with large raised calli, usually green sometimes red.

Distribution - Australia - Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales.
New Zealand - North, South, Stewart, Chatham, Antipodes, Auckland, Campbell Is.

Flowers - October - December - self pollinated.

     

Chiloglottis valida

 

Chiloglottis valida
(robust or strong-growing)

Generally similar to C. cornuta, with which it often grows, but the plant is larger and the flower tinged with reddish-brown.
Labellum with a stalked callus at the base and a sessile callus on the disc, with pairs of gloss black, ant-like calli on either side.

Distribution - Australia - Tasmania, South Australia, Victoria.
New Zealand - North Id., from Kaitaia southward. South Id.,
Nelson / Westland.

Flowers - October - December

These 4 occurrences would appear to be separate trans-Tasman arrivals. Although the plants flowers freely they don 't set viable seed, and spread by vegetative increase only - insect pollinated but no suitable local insects?

     
Chiloglottis trapeziformis  

Chiloglottis trapeziformis
(the kite-shaped labellum)

Unlike C cornuta the flower is borne on a peduncle ± 80mm high, which continues to elongate after fertilisation.

Distribution - Australia - Tasmania, South Australia, New South Wales. New Zealand - North Id., Kaitaia 1900-1915; Hokio Beach, Levin, 2001 et subseq.

Flowers - September - November.

In Australia the flowers are pollinated by male Thynnid wasps Neozeleboria cryptoides.  This wasp is absent from NZ, and the plants behave as normal vagrants.

 

 

 

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