Eriochilus pulchellus
{{Short description|Species of orchid}}
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{{Speciesbox
| name = Granite bunny orchid
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| genus = Eriochilus
| species = pulchellus
| authority = Hopper & A.P.Br.{{WCSP | 346848 | Eriochilus pulchellus }}
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Eriochilus pulchellus, commonly known as the granite bunny orchid, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It has a single egg-shaped leaf and up to ten small white flowers with red markings. A relatively common species, it grows in shallow soil on granite outcrops. Its fleshy leaf is held above the ground on a thin stalk.
Description
Eriochilus pulchellus is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single, egg-shaped to oval leaf {{convert|5-15|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|3-8|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} wide. The leaf is held above the ground on a thin stalk {{convert|20-70|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long. Up to ten white flowers with a few red markings, about {{convert|10|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|8|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} wide are borne on a stem, {{convert|20-150|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} tall. The dorsal sepal is egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, {{convert|7-9|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|2-3|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} wide. The lateral sepals are {{convert|10-17|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long, {{convert|3-4|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} wide and spread forwards. The petals are dull green with red tips and edges and are {{convert|7-9|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long and about {{convert|1|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} wide. The labellum is {{convert|7-10|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long, about {{convert|3|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} wide and has three lobes. The middle lobe is {{convert|4-5|mm|in|sigfig=2|abbr=on}} long and is fleshy with dark red bristles. Flowering occurs from April to May.{{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 =277}}{{cite journal |last1=Hopper |first1=Stephen |last2=Brown |first2=Andrew Phillip |title=New and reinstated taxa in Eriochilus |journal=Nuytsia |date=2006 |volume=16 |issue=1 |pages=48–49 |url=https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/science/nuytsia/449.pdf |accessdate=13 August 2018}}{{cite book|last1=Brown|first1=Andrew|last2=Dundas|first2=Pat|last3=Dixon|first3=Kingsley|last4=Hopper|first4=Stephen|title=Orchids of Western Australia|date=2008|publisher=University of Western Australia Press|location=Crawley, Western Australia|isbn=9780980296457|page=260}}{{cite book|last1=Hoffman|first1=Noel|last2=Brown|first2=Andrew|title=Orchids of South-West Australia.|date=2011|publisher=Noel Hoffman|location=Gooseberry Hill|isbn=9780646562322|page=227|edition=3rd}}{{cite web |last1=Archer |first1=William |title=Pretty bunny orchid - Eriochilus pulchellus |url=http://esperancewildflowers.blogspot.com/2009/05/pretty-bunny-orchid-eriochilus.html |publisher=Esperance Wildflowers |accessdate=13 August 2018}}
Taxonomy and naming
Eriochilus pulchellus was first formally described in 2006 by Stephen Hopper and Andrew Brown from a specimen collected near Manjimup and the description was published in Nuytsia.{{cite web|title=Eriochilus pulchellus|url= https://id.biodiversity.org.au/instance/apni/615234|publisher=APNI|accessdate=13 August 2018}} The specific epithet (pulchellus) is the diminutive form of the Latin word meaning "beautiful", hence "beautiful little",{{cite book|last1=Brown|first1=Roland Wilbur|title=The Composition of Scientific Words|date=1956|publisher=Smithsonian Institution Press|location=Washington, D.C.|page =132}} referring to the flowers of this orchid.
Distribution and habitat
The granite bunny orchid grows on granite outcrops between Windy Harbour and Albany, between Esperance and Israelite Bay and in the Darling Range near Perth.{{FloraBase|name=Eriochilus pulchellus|id=13866}}
Conservation
Eriochilus pulchellus is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
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Category:Orchids of Western Australia
Category:Endemic orchids of Australia
Category:Plants described in 2006