Arthrochilus irritabilis
{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}}
{{Use Australian English|date=July 2024}}
{{speciesbox
| name = Clubbed elbow orchid
| image = Drakaea irritabilis.jpg
| image_caption = Illustration of Drakaea irritabilis from Nathaniel Wallich's Plantae Asiaticae Rariores
| genus = Arthrochilus
| species = irritabilis
| authority =F.Muell.{{WCSP | 15941 | Arthrochilus irritabilis }}
| synonyms = *Drakaea huntiana F.Muell.
}}
Arthrochilus irritabilis, commonly known as clubbed elbow orchid, is a flowering plant in the orchid family (Orchidaceae) and is endemic to Queensland. It has up to five leaves and up to thirty light greenish or reddish, insect-like flower with reddish, hair-like glands on its labellum. There is a single record of this species from Papua New Guinea.
Description
Arthrochilus irritabilis is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, sympodial herb with an underground tuber which produces daughter tubers on the end of root-like stolons. It has between three and five narrow lance-shaped, bluish green leaves {{convert|30-80|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|8-14|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} wide on side growth at the base of the flowering stem. Between five and thirty light greenish or reddish insect-like flowers, {{convert|10-14|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long are borne on a thin, wiry, green to reddish flowering stem {{convert|120-350|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} tall. The dorsal is {{convert|8-11|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long, about {{convert|2|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} wide, folded lengthwise near the tip and directed more or less downwards. The lateral sepals are oblong, curved, {{convert|5-7|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long and about {{convert|1|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} wide. The petals are linear, {{convert|5-7|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long and about {{convert|1|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} wide. The lateral sepals and petals all turn downwards towards the ovary. The labellum is about {{convert|5|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long, {{convert|1|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} wide with a reddish base. The labellum callus is insect-like, about {{convert|2.5|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long with its central area crowded with hair-like, reddish or purplish glands. The tip of the callus is about {{convert|1|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long and covered with shiny, blackish glands. The column is curved, {{convert|7-8|mm|in|sigfig=2|abbr=on}} long with two pairs of curved triangular wings. Flowering occurs from November to February.{{cite book|last1=Jones|first1=David L.|title=A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories|date=2006|publisher=New Holland|location=Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.|isbn=1877069124|page =159}}{{cite web |author1=D.L.Jones |author2=T.Hopley |author3=S.M.Duffy |author1-link=David L. Jones (botanist) |year=2010 |access-date=31 May 2021 |url=http://www.canbr.gov.au/cpbr/cd-keys/RFKOrchids/key/rfkorchids/Media/Html/Arthrochilus_irritabilis.htm |title=Factsheet - Arthrochilus irritabilis |website=Australian Tropical Rainforest Orchids |publisher=Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government}}{{cite web|title=Arthrochilus irritabilis|url=http://www.orchidsnewguinea.com/orchid-information/species/speciescode/1673|publisher=Orchids of New Guinea|accessdate=28 April 2018}}
Taxonomy and naming
Arthrochilus irritabilis was first formally described in 1858 by Ferdinand von Mueller and the description was published in Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae from a specimen collected "from wooded hills near Moreton Bay".{{cite web|title=Arthrochilus irritabilis|url= https://id.biodiversity.org.au/instance/apni/530115|publisher=APNI|accessdate=28 April 2018}}{{cite book|last1=von Mueller|first1=Ferdinand|title=Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae|date=1858|publisher=Government Printer|location=Melbourne|page=42|url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/7218#page/45/mode/1up|accessdate=28 April 2018}} The specific epithet (irritabilis) is a Latin word meaning "easily excited".{{cite book|last1=Brown|first1=Roland Wilbur|title=The Composition of Scientific Words|date=1956|publisher=Smithsonian Institution Press|location=Washington, D.C.|page =103}}
Distribution and habitat
Ecology
As with other Arthrochilus orchids, A. irritabilis is pollinated by males thynnid wasps of the genus Arthrothynnus although the species involved is not known. It also reproduces asexually by producing new tubers.{{cite web|title=Arthrochilus|url=https://www.anbg.gov.au/cpbr/cd-keys/orchidkey/html/genera/Arthrochilus.htm|publisher=Australian National Botanic Garden|accessdate=26 April 2018}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
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Category:Plants described in 1858