Australian Native Plants

  Microtis unifolia (Common Onion Orchid)


Microtis unifolia photo
Microtis unifolia, Black Mountain, Canberra, ACT

Photograph by Microtis unifolia (G.Forst.) Rchb.f., Black Mountain, Canberra, ACT. Some rights reserved.    (view image details)

Microtis unifolia photo
Microtis unifolia ,Tanabe city, Wakayama prefecture, Japan

Photograph by Keisotyo. Some rights reserved.    (view image details)




COMMON ONION ORCHID FACTS

distribution map showing range of Microtis unifolia in Australia

Map is from The Atlas of Living Australia web site, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia License


Common Name
Common Onion Orchid

Other Names
Common Mignonette, Common Leek Orchid

Description
The Common Onion Orchid or Common Leek Orchid is a terrestrial orchid with fairly thick green stem. The flowers are produced in long clusters of very small green or greenish yellow flowers which emerge from the leaf "sheath". The individual flowers are only a few mm in length. The flowering stem grows to about 50 cm tall, sometimes more. The flowering period is in late spring and summer from November to January. The plant produces a single leaf which is wrapped round the stem and grows to about 50 cm to 70 cm long.

Habitat
woodland, grassland, heathland

Distribution
Microtis unifolia is found in south east Queensland, eastern New South Wales, Victoria, south west Western Australia and Tasmania. It also grows in New Zealand.

Growth Characteristics
Height: 50cm - 70cm


Classification
Class:Liliopsida
Order:Asparagales
Family:Orchidaceae
Genus:Microtis
Species:unifolia
Common Name:Common Onion Orchid