Chiloglottis gunnii
Chiloglottis gunnii, commonly known as the tall bird orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Tasmania. It has two broad leaves and a single green to purplish brown flower with a line of erect calli with swollen heads along the mid-line of the labellum. It is widespread but mainly in coastal districts and most commonly in moist to wet forest.
Description
Chiloglottis gunnii is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with two leaves long and wide. A single green to purplish brown flower long and wide is borne on a flowering stem high. The dorsal sepal is egg-shaped to spatula-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, long and wide. The lateral sepals are linear to lance-shaped, long, about wide and taper towards their tips. There is a glandular tip long on the end of all three sepals. The petals are lance-shaped but curved, long, wide and spread widely apart from each other. The labellum is broadly egg-shaped to heart-shaped, long and wide with a line of pillar-like calli about high with large swollen heads up to wide. The column is long and wide and curved with narrow wings.
Chiloglottis gunnii was first formally described in 1840 by John Lindley and the description was published in his book The Genera and Species of Orchidaceous Plants. The specific epithet honours Ronald Campbell Gunn, who collected the type specimen which was sent to William Jackson Hooker who forwarded it to Lindley.
Distribution and habitat
The tall bird orchid is widespread but uncommon, growing mostly in wet forest and coastal scrub.