Thelymitra longifolia
Common Sun Orchid   Maikuku

PLANT: Terrestrial tuberous herb.
Up to 50cm tall when in flower. Often grows in clumps of numerous plants.

LEAVES: Single. Green to reddish-brown, often spotted with rust. Mature plants have broad, ribbed and strap-like leaves which lie flat on the ground. Younger plants have more erect concave leaves.

FLOWERS: Up to 20 flowers.
1 - 1.5 cm across. White, sometimes pink. Not scented. Top of the column usually rounded. Column arms have short, dense, tangled cilia (like cotton wool) which are pressed tightly against the column.

FLOWERING TIME: October - January.

HABITAT: Lowland to sub-alpine. Sunny places on clay banks, open areas amongst scrub, tracksides and roadsides, banks in pastures.

CONSERVATION STATUS: Not Threatened.

NOTES: New Zealand's most common species of Sun Orchid.