Australian Native Plants

  Diuris brevifolia (Short-leaf Donkey-orchid)


Diuris brevifolia photo
Diuris brevifolia, Short-leaf Donkey-orchid

Photograph by Jim from Adelaide, Australia. Some rights reserved.    (view image details)




PLANT FACTS

distribution map showing range of Diuris brevifolia in Australia

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


Common Name
Short-leaf Donkey-orchid

Description
The Short-leaf Donkey-orchid is only found in South Australia. It produces bright yellow flowers, with reddish brown markings on the labellum and dorsal sepal. The lateral sepals are narrow and greenish. Flowers are produced on stems up to 40 cm tall in spring and early summer from October to December. The leaves are short, as the common name indicates. This species is endangered and restricted to a relatively small area. This orchid can be grown from tubers which multiply each year.

Habitat
open forest, woodland, shrubland, heath, swamp margins

Distribution
Diuris brevifolia is found in South Australia in an area south of Adelaide and is also found on Kangaroo Island

Growth Characteristics
Height: 40cm
Classification
Class:Liliopsida
Order:Asparagales
Family:Orchidaceae
Genus:Diuris
Species:brevifolia
Common Name:Short-leaf Donkey-orchid


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