Thelymitra albiflora
Thelymitra albiflora, commonly called the white sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to South Australia. It has a single erect, narrow, fleshy leaf and up to ten relatively small white flowers with white toothbrush-like tufts on top of the anther.
Description
Thelymitra albiflora is a tuberous, perennial herb with a single erect, channelled, green, linear to lance-shaped leaf long and wide with a purplish base. Up to ten white or pale blue flowers wide are borne on a flowering stem tall. The sepals and petals are long and wide. The column is white or pale blue, long and wide. The lobe on the top of the anther is gently curved forwards and reddish brown with a thin purplish band and a yellow tip. The side lobes curve upwards and have long, toothbrush-like tufts of white hairs covering their tops. The flowers only open on warm to hot sunny days and then only slowly. Flowering occurs from September to November.
Taxonomy and naming
Thelymitra albiflora was first formally described in 2004 by Jeff Jeanes from a specimen collected in the Spring Gully Conservation Park and the description was published in Muelleria. The specific epithet means "pale-flowered".
Distribution and habitat
The white sun orchid grows in the higher rainfall areas of South Australia in heath, forest and woodland.