Zeuxine oblonga
Encyclopedia
Zeuxine oblonga is a deciduous
terrestrial orchid
belonging to the subfamily Orchidoideae
. It is found in northern Australia
.
form a loose rosette; they are 80 x 30 mm, dark green in colour with wavy margins. The pinkish flower stem bears 5–30 dull green and white, small, hairy flower
s about 4 mm across. It is recognised by its flowers and its divided labellum
.
and has been recorded from the Northern Territory
, Queensland
and New South Wales
. It usually grows in colonies on dark, moist sites on the rainforest floor, and. is locally common in swampy areas, with peaty soils, next to streams.
because there it has an estimated population size of fewer than 1000 individual plants, and an estimated area of occurrence of less than 20 km2. Potential threats include feral animal disturbance, changes to hydrology
and horticultural
harvesting.
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
terrestrial orchid
Orchidaceae
The Orchidaceae, commonly referred to as the orchid family, is a morphologically diverse and widespread family of monocots in the order Asparagales. Along with the Asteraceae, it is one of the two largest families of flowering plants, with between 21,950 and 26,049 currently accepted species,...
belonging to the subfamily Orchidoideae
Orchidoideae
The Orchidoideae, or the orchidoid orchids, are a subfamily of the orchid family .They typically contain the orchids with a single , fertile anther which is erect and basitonic....
. It is found in northern Australia
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...
.
Description
The orchid has a fleshy stem and grows to 150 mm in height. The 3–7 leavesLeaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
form a loose rosette; they are 80 x 30 mm, dark green in colour with wavy margins. The pinkish flower stem bears 5–30 dull green and white, small, hairy flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s about 4 mm across. It is recognised by its flowers and its divided 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:...
.
Distribution and habitat
The orchid is endemic to northern AustraliaAustralia
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...
and has been recorded from the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
, 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...
and New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. It usually grows in colonies on dark, moist sites on the rainforest floor, and. is locally common in swampy areas, with peaty soils, next to streams.
Status and conservation
In the Northern Territory it is listed as VulnerableVulnerable species
On 30 January 2010, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 9694 Vulnerable species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and sub-populations.-References:...
because there it has an estimated population size of fewer than 1000 individual plants, and an estimated area of occurrence of less than 20 km2. Potential threats include feral animal disturbance, changes to hydrology
Hydrology
Hydrology is the study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth and other planets, including the hydrologic cycle, water resources and environmental watershed sustainability...
and horticultural
Horticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
harvesting.
