Citation: F. Muell., Fragm. Phyt. Aust. 5:147 (1866).

Synonymy: Not Applicable

Common name: Metallic sun-orchid, stout sun-orchid.

Description:
A plant of robust habit, 21-52 cm high; leaf long, fleshy, lanceolate, tubular at the base; stem bracts 1 or 2, leafy.

Flowers 6-18, 20-25 mm diam., pedicellate, usually of a peculiar iridescent greyish-green colour with pinkish tints, sometimes brown with a metallic lustre; perianth-segments ovate-lanceolate, 10-11 mm long; column widely winged, hair-tufts white, turned upwards; segment between the hair-tufts deeply 3-lobed; post-anther lobe incurved, irregularly denticulate at the top and reaching a higher level than the adjacent ones; lateral lobes denticulate, with oblique tips, passing upwards and inwards and often interlocking like the fingers of 2 hands; anther with the exception of its point concealed behind the stigma; stigma situated well below the middle of the column.

Published illustration: Gray (1971) Victorian native orchids, 2:32; Woolcock (1984) Australian terrestrial orchids, pl. 69B.

Distribution:  Occurs in small to extensive numbers in fertile loams in open forest, open heathland or grassland but now rare and endangered due to destruction of its habitat. S.Aust.: EP, MU, SL, SE.   Vic. Conservation status: native Flowering time: Sept. — Nov.

SA Distribution Map based on current data relating to specimens held in the State Herbarium of South Australia

Biology: No text

Author: Not yet available