Australian Native Plants

  Diuris aurea (Golden Donkey Orchid)


Diuris aurea photo
Georges River Gorge, Campbelltown NSW

Photograph by Doug from Australia. Some rights reserved.    (view image details)




PLANT FACTS

distribution map showing range of Diuris aurea in Australia

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


Common Name
Golden Donkey Orchid

Description
The Golden Donkey Orchid is a terrestrial orchid from eastern Australia. The flower petals are yellow. The labellum and dorsal sepal are yellow with dark blotches. The lateral sepals are greenish and narrow, usually curled at the edges. Diuris orchids have the common name of donkey Orchid because their two upper petals stick up like donkey ears. The plant has one or two narrow leaves that grow to about 20 cm long and about 5 mm wide.

Habitat
woodland, eucalypt forest

Distribution
Diuris aurea is found in eastern Queensland and eastern New South Wales

Growth Characteristics
Height: 60cm
Classification
Class:Liliopsida
Order:Asparagales
Family:Orchidaceae
Genus:Diuris
Species:aurea
Common Name:Golden Donkey Orchid


Relatives in same Genus
  Diuris behrii
  Diuris brevifolia
  Diuris brumalis
  Diuris corymbosa
  Diuris drummondii
  Diuris magnifica
  Diuris nigromontana
  Diuris pardina
  Diuris praecox
  Diuris punctata
  Diuris sulphurea