New Zealand Native Orchids

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Thelymitra longifolia

Common Sun Orchid, Maikuku

Spirits Bay Road, Te Paki 19 October 2013. Photo: Bill Campbell
Photo: Bill Campbell
Recorded distribution
Recorded distribution

Plant

With broad, thick, ribbed, very long, often reddish leaves which lie along the ground. Flowers in long open or dense and pyramidal spikes.

Flowers

Usually white, tinged bluish, sometimes pink. Column white with a dark (rarely yellow) top. Top rounded, margin yellow scarcely notched, inrolled. Column arms with short, dense, tangled, white, sometimes creamy (cotton ball) cilia.

Flowering

October - December.

Habitat

Lowland to alpine clays, in forest, scrub, grassland, sunny banks and tracksides.

Conservation

Widespread, very common, often abundant; not threatened.

Notes

Considerable variation suggests several taxa. Some are more like T. pauciflora with arched leaves, except the flowers are white. Intermediate forms suggest hybridisation. Flowers may depend on fine hot conditions all may open. Some are scented. Three forms have been tagged T. “Whakapapa”, T. “Mangawhai” and T. “fusca”.

Key features

Column top rounded black with a then usually yellow tipped rounded margin; leaves strongly ribbed, broad, lax, although a common form has consierably narrower flat leaves.

Photos

Spirits Bay Road, Te Paki 19 October 2013. Photo: Bill Campbell
Whatuwhiwhi 22 October 2012. Photo: Bill Campbell
Cable Bay 26 October 2011. Photo: Bill Campbell
Lake Ohia 1 November 2007. Photo: Bill Campbell
Whatuwhiwhi 22 October 2012. Photo: Bill Campbell
Earth Wall Track, Te Paki 2 October 2012. Photo: Bill Campbell
Earth Wall Track, Te Paki 2 October 2012. Photo: Bill Campbell
Cable Bay 26 October 2011. Photo: Bill Campbell
Earth Wall Track, Te Paki 2 October 2012. Photo: Bill Campbell
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Sun orchids (Thelymitra)
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