Chiloglottis anaticeps
Chiloglottis anaticeps, commonly known as the duck's-head wasp orchid or bird orchid is a species of orchid endemic to the New England Tableland of New South Wales. It has two narrow leaves and a single greenish brown or reddish flower with a shiny, dark green callus occupying most of the top of the labellum. One end of the callus looks like a tiny duck's head.
Description
Chiloglottis anaticeps is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with two narrow elliptic to egg-shaped leaves long and wide on a petiole long. A single green to reddish brown flower long and wide is borne on a flowering stem high. The dorsal sepal is long, about wide with a narrow glandular tip a further long. The lateral sepals are linear, long, about wide and curve downwards with a glandular tip long. The petals are lance-shaped, long, about wide and pressed against the sides of the ovary. The labellum is held horizontally, long and wide. Most of the upper surface of the labellum is covered with a callus of prominent, club-shaped, stalked glands, the one nearest the base of the labellum about long and shaped like a tiny duck's head. The column is green with red spots on the front, long, about wide with broad wings. Flowering occurs from December to February.
Chiloglottis anaticeps was first formally described in 1991 by David Jones from a specimen collected west of Wauchope and the description was published in Australian Orchid Research. The specific epithet means "duck-headed" and refers to the stalked gland on the labellum.
Distribution and habitat
The duck's-head wasp orchid grows in tall forest and near granite outcrops in the New England, Werrikimbe and Cathedral Rock National Parks.
Conservation
Chiloglottis anaticeps is listed as "endangered" under the New South Wales Government Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016.