Diuris maculata
{{Short description|Species of orchid}}
{{Italic title}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Spotted doubletail
| image_alt = Species illustration
| image = Diuris_maculata_-_Curtis'_59_(N.S._6)_pl._3156_(1832).jpg
| image_caption =
| status =
| status_system =
| status_ref =
| genus = Diuris
| species = maculata
| authority = Sm.{{cite web |title=Diuris maculata |url=https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/95722|website=Australian Plant Census |access-date=15 April 2023}}
| synonyms = Diuris maculata Sm. var. maculata
}}
Diuris maculata, commonly known as the spotted doubletail, is a species of orchid endemic to New South Wales. It has up to two or three folded leaves and a flowering stem with up to eight yellow flowers with brown to blackish markings. It is similar to D. pardina which has darker flowers with larger brown markings.
Description
Diuris maculata is a tuberous, perennial herb with two or three linear leaves {{cvt|150–250|mm}} long, {{cvt|3–4|mm}} wide and folded lengthwise. Between two and eight flowers {{cvt|20–25|mm}} wide are borne on a flowering stem {{cvt|150–350|mm}} tall. The flowers are yellow with dark brown to blackish spots on all flower parts, sometimes on the reverse side. The dorsal sepal is erect or curved forwards, {{cvt|7–10|mm}} long and {{cvt|5–7|mm}} wide. The lateral sepals are linear to lance-shaped, {{cvt|10–15|mm}} long, about {{cvt|2|mm}} wide, turned downwards and crossed. The petals are erect to curved backwards, with an egg-shaped blade {{cvt|7–11|mm}} long and {{cvt|6–9|mm}} wide on a blackish stalk {{cvt|4–7|mm}} long. The labellum is {{cvt|4–6|mm}} long and has three lobes. The centre lobe is wedge-shaped, {{cvt|3–5|mm}} long and {{cvt|5–7|mm}} wide and the side lobes are {{cvt|4–7|mm}} long and {{cvt|2–3|mm}} wide. There are two ridged calli about {{cvt|4–7|mm}} long in the mid-line of the labellum. The species is similar to D. pardina but has lighter coloured flowers with smaller brown markings. Flowering occurs from July to November.{{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|pages =119–120}}{{cite web|last1=Jones|first1=David L.|title=Diuris maculata|url=http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Diuris~maculata|publisher=Royal Botanic Garden Sydney|accessdate=9 March 2018}}
Taxonomy and naming
Diuris maculata was first formally described in 1805 by James Edward Smith and the description was published in Volume 1 of his book, Exotic Botany.{{cite web|title=Duiris maculata|url= https://id.biodiversity.org.au/instance/apni/519818|publisher=APNI|accessdate=9 March 2018}} The specific epithet (maculata) is a Latin word meaning "spotted".{{cite book|last1=Brown|first1=Roland Wilbur|title=The Composition of Scientific Words|date=1956|publisher=Smithsonian Institution Press|location=Washington, D.C.|page =742}}
Distribution and habitat
Ecology
This orchid has been shown to mimic the flowers of several native peas, including Hardenbergia violacea and Daviesia ulicifolia. The native bee Trichocolletes venustus visits both orchid and peas flowers and obtains food from the pea but not from the orchid, which even has a UV nectar guide similar to that on the peas.{{cite journal|last1=Indsto|first1=James O.|last2=Weston|first2=Peter H.|last3=Clements|first3=Mark A.|last4=Dyer|first4=Adrian G.|last5=Batley|first5=Michael|last6=Whelan|first6=Robert J.|title=Pollination of Diuris maculata (Orchidaceae) by male Trichocolletes venustus bees|journal=Australian Journal of Botany|date=2006|volume=54|issue=7|pages=669–679|doi=10.1071/BT05146}}
References
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Category:Endemic orchids of Australia