Genoplesium systenum
Genoplesium superbum, commonly known as the Kangarooby midge orchid, is a species of small terrestrial orchid that is endemic to New South Wales. It has a single thin leaf and up to thirty two hairy, light reddish flowers which lean downwards and have a dark purple labellum.
Description
Genoplesium systenum is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single thin leaf long with the free part long. Between twelve and thirty two light reddish flowers are arranged along a flowering stem long, reaching to a height of. The flowers lean downwards and are about wide. As with others in the genus, the flowers are inverted so that the labellum is above the column rather than below it. The dorsal sepal is broadly egg-shaped, about long, wide and greenish with reddish-purple bands and hairy edges. The lateral sepals are linear to lance-shaped, about long, wide, light reddish green and spread widely apart from each other. The petals are narrow egg-shaped, about long, wide with hairy edges and a similar colour to the dorsal sepal. The labellum is narrow egg-shaped, dark purple, about long and wide with coarse, spreading hairs up to long on its edges. There is a dark purple callus in the centre of the labellum and covering about three-quarters of its surface. Flowering occurs from February to April.
The Kangarooby midge orchid was first formally described in 1991 by David L. [Jones (botanist)|David Jones] and the description was published in Australian Orchid Research. In 2002, Jones and Mark Clements changed the name to Corunastylis systena but that name is not accepted by the Australian Plant Census. The specific epithet derived from the Ancient Greek word systenos meaning "tapering to a point", referring to the shape of the labellum of this orchid.
Distribution and habitat
Genoplesium systenum grows below shrubs in forested ridges and slopes on the ranges near Cowra, including the Conimbla National Park and Weddin Mountains National Park.