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Liparis simmondsii, commonly known as the coastal sprite orchid,[2] is a plant in the orchid family and is endemic to Queensland. It is a terrestrial orchid with two or three egg-shaped leaves and between three and fifteen deep reddish purple flowers with a green column. It grows in near-coastal rainforest.

Coastal sprite orchid
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Orchidaceae
Subfamily:	Epidendroideae
Subtribe:	Malaxidinae
Genus:	Liparis
Species:	L. simmondsii
Binomial name
Liparis simmondsii F.M.Bailey[1]
Synonyms[1]
Diteilis simmondsii (F.M.Bailey) M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones

Description

Liparis simmondsii is a terrestrial herb with between two and four curved, tapering stems, each 60–80 mm (2–3 in) and 7–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) wide. Each stem has two or three egg-shaped, pleated leaves 80–120 mm (3–5 in) long and 40–60 mm (1.6–2.4 in) wide with wavy edges on a stalk up to 20 mm (0.8 in) long. Between three and fifteen deep reddish purple flowers, 8–12 mm (0.3–0.5 in) long and 10–15 mm (0.4–0.6 in) wide are borne on a flowering stem 150–250 mm (6–10 in) long. The dorsal sepal is 9–11 mm (0.35–0.43 in) long, about 3 mm (0.1 in) wide and the lateral sepals are a similar length, about 4 mm (0.2 in) wide with their tips twisted. The petals are also a similar length but only about 1 mm (0.04 in) wide. The labellum is 8–9 mm (0.31–0.35 in) long and 6–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide with a square-cut or rounded tip and turns sharply downwards. The column is green. Flowering occurs between December and February.[2][3][4]

Taxonomy and naming

Liparis simmondsii was first formally described in 1891 by Frederick Manson Bailey and the description was published in the Department of Agriculture Queensland, Botany Bulletin.[5] The specific epithet (simmondsii) honours John Howard Simmonds.[5][6]

Distribution and habitat

The coastal sprite orchid grows in coastal rainforest between Fraser Island and Maroochydore. There is a doubtful record from the upper Brunswick River in northern New South Wales.[2][3]

References

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