Draft:Acianthus scopulus
| Acianthus scopulus | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
| Tribe: | Diurideae |
| Genus: | Acianthus |
| Species: | A. scopulus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Acianthus scopulus | |
Acianthus scopulus, or the pygmy mosquito orchid, is a species of terrestrial orchid native to a small region of the south coast of NSW, Australia.[1]
Description[edit]
A. scopulus grows to 10cm tall, and produces 1-5 flowers between May and June.[1] It has a single cordate leaf, with entire margins and an apiculate apex.[2] Flowers are well spaced on the stem and 6-7mm long.[1][2]
Distribution and Habitat[edit]
A. scopulus grows in a limited area around Tathra on the NSW south coast, between 5 and 50m above sea level.[1] The orchid is known from only a few populations, though these can contain several hundred individuals.[1] It grows in shallow black loam substrate over granite under Melaleuca armillaris scrub on coastal headlands.[1][2]
Taxonomy[edit]
A. scopulus was first formally described by David L. Jones in 2019, but was documented by Tony Bishop two decades earlier in 1996 as Acianthus sp. aff. fornicatus.[1][2][3] The specific epithet scopulus comes from Latin, meaning 'crag' or 'projecting rock', and refers to its habitat on coastal headlands.[2]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g Copeland, Lachlan M.; Backhouse, Gary N. (2022). Guide to Native Orchids of NSW and ACT. Melbourne: CSIRO Publishing. pp. 7–8. ISBN 9781486313686.
- ^ a b c d e Jones, David L. (2019). "Acianthus scopulus (Orchidaceae: Acanthiinae), a rare new species from the Far South Coast of New South Wales". Australian Orchid Review. 84 (6): 43–45.
- ^ Bishop, Tony (1996). Field Guide to the Orchids of New South Wales and Victoria. Sydney: University of New South Wales Press.