Citation: D. Blaxell, Contr. N.S.W natn. Herb. 4:281 (1972).

Synonymy: Caleana minor R. Br., Prod. Fl. Nov. Holl. 329 (1810); P. sullivanii (F. Muell.) Blaxell, Contr. N.S. W. natn. Herb. 4:282 (1972). , Caleana sullivanii, Sullivania minor

Common name: Small duck-orchid.

Description:
Slender, glabrous, stem wiry, 7-18 cm high; leaf solitary, glabrous, reddish-brown, narrow-linear, 4-9 cm long.

Flowers 1-6, reddish-brown, more rarely greenish, on slender pedicels, a floral rudiment within the uppermost bract; dorsal sepal linear-spathulate, erect or slightly incurved, c. 8 mm long; lateral sepals free, linear-lanceolate, c. 7 mm long, channelled on the inner surface, erect, arising nearly at right angles from the end of the columnar-foot; petals c. 6.5 mm long, narrower than the other segments, almost filiform, erect or incurved against the wings of the column; labellum peltate, attached by a rather long irritable semicircular claw to the extremity of the column-foot; lamina ovate, c. 6 mm long, centre inflated and hollow, apex prolonged into a 2-fid glandular-tipped process, the base into a short triangular point with a short spur on each side of the claw; upper surface convex, densely tuberculate except near its extreme base, undersurface non-tuberculate, concave, lateral margins also tuberculate; column almost as long as the petals; its base extended into a foot c. 3 mm long; widely winged throughout from the anther to the free end of the foot; anther 2-celled, very blunt, valvate; pollinia 4, free, elongated, lamellate, granular or mealy; stigma standing out prominently below the anther, concave, viscid; rostellum rudimentary; no caudicle or viscid disk.

Published illustration: Cady& Rotherham (1970) Australian native orchids in colour, pl. 30 as Caleana minor; Curtis (1980) Student's flora of Tasmania 4A:pl. 10; Woolcock (1984) Australian terrestrial orchids, pl. 24C.

Distribution:  Forms small colonies in leached sand under light forest usually with Eucalyptus baxteri but uncommon. S.Aust.: SL, SE.   N.S.W.; Vic.; Tas.   ?New Zealand. Conservation status: native Flowering time: Nov. — Jan.

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

Biology: The South Australian specimens are largely apomictic although the flowers are structured for insect pollination. The form with non-irritable labellum and non-functional anthers known as 'P. sullivanii' has also been collected in S. Aust. A collection of the Western Australian p. nigrita from SL, (1966) had almost certainly been a transplanted form.

Author: Not yet available