Thelymitra matthewsii
(for R.H. Matthews)

Leaf expanded at the base, then narrowing abruptly to spiral round the stem.
Flowers dark-purple, with darker stripes.
Column purple at the base, merging into yellow at the top.
Midlobe absent.
Lateral lobes bright-yellow, oblong-falcate, obtuse, without cilia.

Distribution - Australia - Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria.
New Zealand - North Id., from the North Cape to Kaitaia.

Flowers - August - November - self pollinated.

Thelymitra aff pauciflora
(few-flowered - not much help!)

Flowers blue, shading to white.
Column pale-blue.
Midlobe brownish, deeply cleft, the margins bright-yellow, smooth or ragged.
Lateral lobes with short, erect tufts of white cilia.

Distribution - Probably endemic as T. colensoi - Three Kings Is., North and South Is.

Flowers - November - January - self pollinated.

aka T. intermedia, and T. colensoi - Ed.

Thelymitra pulchella
(beautiful - it is)

Flower mauve, with darker stripes.
Column reddish-blue.
Midlobe not hooded, reddish-brown with paler margins.
Lateral lobes reddish, with bright-yellow cilia.

Distribution - Endemic - North, South, Stewart and Chatham Is.

Flowers - October - February - self pollinated.

Thelymitra tholiformis
(the dome-shaped midlobe of the column)

Similar to T.aemula, but the midlobe of the column is in the form of a bright-yellow dome.

Distribution - Endemic - North Id., North Cape south to the Waitakere and Hunua Ranges.
                             A kauri-zone species.

Flowers - November - December - self pollinated.