Phaius australis
Encyclopedia
Phaius australis, also known as the Lesser Swamp Orchid or Southern Swamp Orchid, is a species of orchid found in Australia
. It is found from Lake Cathie, New South Wales
to south east Queensland
. This plant is listed as endangered. The habitat is swampy forest near sea level, often associated with paperbark trees
. Unlike the related swamp orchid
, most flowers set fruit. This plant is threatened by illegal collectors.
s are ovoid in shape and 2 to 7 cm (1-3 in) in diameter. Horizontal lobes of the labellum
(lower descending part of the flower) are curved inwards, but they don't form a tight tube as does Phaius tancarvilleae
. Yellow veins are seen on the inner side of the sepals and the horizontal petals.
An easily grown plant in cultivation, it prefers semi shade. Propagation is achieved from seed or by the cutting of the base clump of the plant. The decorative and scented flowers occur between late August and October. Coloured reddish brown with yellow. Another method of regeneration is flower stem node propagation. Where after flowering, the scape is either laid whole or in sections on a medium such as sphagnum moss or stood in a container of water. Plantlets emerge from the nodes, and when large enough are removed and potted up. The large flowers occur in spring.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It is found from Lake Cathie, New South Wales
Lake Cathie, New South Wales
Lake Cathie is a town in New South Wales, Australia about 15 minutes drive south of Port Macquarie and has a permanent population of 2,000.The town is a popular holiday destination on the Mid North Coast because of its tranquil location which hosts the lake, lagoon and beaches...
to south east Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
. This plant is listed as endangered. The habitat is swampy forest near sea level, often associated with paperbark trees
Melaleuca quinquenervia
Melaleuca quinquenervia, commonly known as Niaouli or Broad-leaved paperbark or the Paper Bark Tea Tree, is a small- to medium-sized tree of the allspice family, Myrtaceae. The plant is native to New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea and coastal Eastern Australia, from Botany Bay in New South Wales...
. Unlike the related swamp orchid
Phaius tancarvilleae
Phaius tancarvilleae is a species of orchid found in India, New Guinea, China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Australia. In Australia it is found as far south as Brunswick Heads, New South Wales and further north in tropical Queensland...
, most flowers set fruit. This plant is threatened by illegal collectors.
Description
Phaius australis may reach 2 metres (7 ft) in height. The leaves are 30 to 70 cm (12-28 in) long, and 3 to 10 cm (1-4 in) wide, mostly reverse lanceolate in shape. There are 4 to 8 leaves per shoot. PseudobulbPseudobulb
The pseudobulb is a storage organ derived from the part of a stem between two leaf nodes.It applies to the orchid family , specifically certain groups of epiphytic orchids, and may be single or composed of several internodes with evergreen or deciduous leaves along its length.In some species, it is...
s are ovoid in shape and 2 to 7 cm (1-3 in) in diameter. Horizontal lobes of the labellum
Labellum
Labellum is the Latin diminutive of labium, meaning lip. These are anatomical terms used descriptively in biology, for example in Entomology and botany.-Botany:...
(lower descending part of the flower) are curved inwards, but they don't form a tight tube as does Phaius tancarvilleae
Phaius tancarvilleae
Phaius tancarvilleae is a species of orchid found in India, New Guinea, China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Australia. In Australia it is found as far south as Brunswick Heads, New South Wales and further north in tropical Queensland...
. Yellow veins are seen on the inner side of the sepals and the horizontal petals.
Cultivation
Identification of the Phaius genus is a particularly challenging and difficult task. Many plants are incorrectly labeled in nurseries or misidentified by professionals and authors. Hybrids are produced in cultivation from various different types of Phaius.An easily grown plant in cultivation, it prefers semi shade. Propagation is achieved from seed or by the cutting of the base clump of the plant. The decorative and scented flowers occur between late August and October. Coloured reddish brown with yellow. Another method of regeneration is flower stem node propagation. Where after flowering, the scape is either laid whole or in sections on a medium such as sphagnum moss or stood in a container of water. Plantlets emerge from the nodes, and when large enough are removed and potted up. The large flowers occur in spring.
External links
- Photograph of the flower Flickr.com
- http://www.threatenedspecies.environment.nsw.gov.au/tsprofile/profile.aspx?id=10610
- http://www.brunswickvalleylandcare.org.au/orchid.html
- http://www.flickr.com/photos/34449831@N05/3951674411/