Chiloglottis grammata
{{Short description|Species of orchid}}
{{Use Australian English|date=July 2024}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Small bird orchid
| image = Chiloglottis grammata.jpg
| image_caption = In Liffey Valley Reserve, Tasmania
| status =
| status_system =
| taxon = Chiloglottis grammata
| authority = G.W.Carr{{WCSP | 38972 | Chiloglottis grammata }}
| synonyms =
}}
Chiloglottis grammata, commonly known as the small bird orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Tasmania. It has two broad leaves and a single greenish purple to purple flower with short, shiny greenish to reddish or black calli and low ridges resembling writing, covering most of the upper surface of the labellum. It is widespread and common in high rainfall mountainous areas.
Description
Chiloglottis grammata is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with two leaves {{convert|50-80|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|15-25|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} wide. A single greenish purple to purple flower {{convert|16-19|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|25-30|mm|in|sigfig=2|abbr=on}} wide is borne on a flowering stem {{convert|20-40|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} high. The dorsal sepal is broadly egg-shaped to spatula-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, {{convert|15-19|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|8-11|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} wide. The lateral sepals are linear to lance-shaped, {{convert|14-16|mm|in|sigfig=2|abbr=on}} long, about {{convert|2|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} wide and taper towards their tips. There is a glandular tip {{convert|0.5-1.0|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long on the end of all three sepals. The petals are lance-shaped but curved, {{convert|13-16|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long, about {{convert|4|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} wide and spread widely apart from each other. The labellum is egg-shaped to heart-shaped, {{convert|8-11|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|7-10|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} wide with short, shiny greenish to reddish or black calli up to {{convert|1|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long and low ridges resembling writing covering most of its upper surface. Flowering occurs from October 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 =144}}{{cite journal|last1=Jones|first1=David L.|title=Contributions to Tasmanian Orchidology|journal=Australian Orchid Research|date=1998|volume=3|pages=63–64}}
Taxonomy and naming
Chiloglottis grammata was first formally described in 1991 by Geoffrey Carr and the description was published in Indigenous Flora and Fauna Association Miscellaneous Paper 1 from a specimen collected from Jackeys Marsh in the Meander Valley.{{cite web|title=Chiloglottis grammata|url= https://id.biodiversity.org.au/instance/apni/553221|publisher=APNI|accessdate=20 April 2018}}
Distribution and habitat
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q15495821}}