Australian Native Plants

  Glossodia major (Waxlip Orchid)


Glossodia major photo
Waxlip orchid, Glossodia major. Southern Mid-lands of Tasmania.

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

Glossodia major photo
Glossodia major, Black Mountain, Canberra

Photograph by Donald Hobern from Canberra, Australia. Some rights reserved.    (view image details)




WAXLIP ORCHID FACTS

distribution map showing range of Glossodia major in Australia

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


Common Name
Waxlip Orchid

Description
The Waxlip Orchid is a terrestrial orchid with star shaped flowers. The flowers are mauve or purple with same sized oval sepals and petals that taper at the tips. The centre of the flower is white. Some plants produce all white flowers, although white flowering plants are quite rare. One or two flowers are produced on a stem about 20 cm to 30 cm tall, with the flower growing to about 4 cm across. Flowering is in late winter and early spring from about July to September. It produces a single lance shaped leaf with hairs, that grows from the base of the plant to about 15 cm long.

Habitat
heathland, woodland, open forest

Distribution
Glossodia major is found in south east Queensland, eastern New South Wales, Victoria, south east of South Australia.

Growth Characteristics
Height: 30cm


Classification
Class:Liliopsida
Order:Asparagales
Family:Orchidaceae
Genus:Glossodia
Species:major
Common Name:Waxlip Orchid


Relatives in same Genus
  Glossodia minor