Phaius amboinensis
{{Short description|Species of orchid}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Arnhem Land swamp orchid
| image = Phaius amboinensis.jpg
| image_caption = Pachystoma amboinensis on Rarotonga
| genus = Phaius
| species = amboinensis
| authority = Blume{{cite web |title=Phaius amboinensis |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:650373-1#synonyms |publisher=Plants of the World Online |access-date=10 July 2024}}
| synonyms = {{Collapsible list|
- Calanthe amboinensis (Blume) M.W.Chase, Christenh. & Schuit.
- Bletia amboinensis Zipp. ex Blume not validly publ.
- Epidendrum terrestre L.
- Epidendrum tuberosum L. nom. superfl.
- Eulophia terrestris (L.) M.W.Chase, Kumar & Schuit.
- Geodorum terrestre (L.) Garay
- Phaius amboinensis var. papuanus (Schltr.) Schltr.
- Phaius graeffei Rchb.f.
- Phaius neocaledonicus Rendle
- Phaius papuanus Schltr.
- Phaius terrestris (L.) Ormerod
- Phaius zollingeri Rchb.f.
}}
}}
Phaius amboinensis, commonly known as Arnhem Land swamp orchid,{{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 =361}} is a plant in the orchid family and is native to areas from Malesia through to New Guinea, Australia and islands in the Pacific Ocean. It is an evergreen, terrestrial herb with up to eight pleated leaves and up to twenty, relatively large white flowers with a yellow labellum. It grows in wet, shady forests.
Description
Phaius amboinensis is an evergreen, terrestrial herb which forms large clumps. It has three or four fleshy stems, {{convert|400-800|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|15-20|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} wide. Each stem has between three and eight dark green, pleated leaves {{convert|300-400|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|7-14|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} wide. Between five and twenty resupinate white flowers {{convert|40-70|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|42-75|mm|in|sigfig=2|abbr=on}} wide are borne on a flowering stem {{convert|300-900|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} tall. The dorsal sepal is {{convert|30-35|mm|in|sigfig=2|abbr=on}} long, {{convert|7-8|mm|in|sigfig=2|abbr=on}} wide and more or less upright. The lateral sepals are a similar length but {{convert|8-10|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} wide and spread apart from each other. The petals are a similar length to the sepals but narrower. The labellum is yellow, {{convert|25-30|mm|in|sigfig=2|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|20-25|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} wide with three lobes and wavy edges. There is a complex callus in the centre of the labellum. Flowering occurs from August to November in Australia and over a longer period in Asia.{{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/Phaius_amboinensis.htm |title=Factsheet - Phaius amboinensis |website=Australian Tropical Rainforest Orchids |publisher=Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government}}{{cite web |title=Phaius amboinensis |url=http://www.orchidsnewguinea.com/orchid-information/species/speciescode/677|publisher=Orchids of New Guinea |accessdate=29 October 2018}}
Taxonomy and naming
Phaius amboinensis was first formally described in 1856 by Carl Ludwig Blume in his book Museum Botanicum Lugduno-Batavum sive stirpium Exoticarum, Novarum vel Minus Cognitarum ex Vivis aut Siccis Brevis Expositio et Descriptio.{{cite web|title=Phaius amboinensis|url= https://id.biodiversity.org.au/instance/apni/551351|publisher=APNI|accessdate=28 October 2018}}{{cite book |last1=Blume |first1=Carl Ludwig |title=Museum Botanicum Lugduno-Batavum sive stirpium Exoticarum, Novarum vel Minus Cognitarum ex Vivis aut Siccis Brevis Expositio et Descriptio |date=1856 |location=Batavia |page=180 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/200679#page/188/mode/1up |accessdate=29 October 2018}} The specific epithet (amboinensis) is a reference to Ambon Island where the type specimen was collected.
Distribution and habitat
The Arnhem Land swamp orchid in deep shade in wet forests. It occurs in Indonesia, the Philippines, New Guinea, the Northern Territory, New Caledonia, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Samoa.