Common name: Small Duck Orchid
Caleana minor R.Br. APNI* Synonyms: Paracaleana minor (R.Br.) Blaxell APNI* Paracaleana sullivanii (F.Muell.) Blaxell APNI* Caleana sullivanii (F.Muell.) Pescott APNI* Sullivania minor (R.Br.) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. APNI* Paracaleana minor (R.Br.) Blaxell APNI*
Description: Terrestrial herb.
Leaf linear, to 9 cm long and 3 mm wide, channelled.
Inflorescence to 18 cm high, wiry, 1–7-flowered. Flowers reddish brown to yellowish green. Lateral sepals and petals to 10 mm long, linear and channelled; lateral sepals curving downwards or held horizontally; dorsal sepal and lateral petals clasping or reflexed against the column wings. Labellum claw prominently curved supporting the inverted and erect lamina; lamina to 6 mm long and 4 mm wide, compressed, warty with a narrowing 2-lobed beak on one end and a solitary, strap-like appendage on the opposite end. Column cup-like, producing a webbed column foot, c. 5 mm long, joining the labellum claw and lateral sepals to the column at 90° .
Flowering: November–January
Distribution and occurrence: Widespread, but usually forming colonies of only a few plants on slopes and ridges in sclerophyll forest, in gravelly soils between low grass and shrubs; widespread, west to Dubbo district.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC, NT, CT, ST, NWS, CWS
Other Australian states: Qld Vic. Tas. S.A.
Plants with malformed flowers, non-irritable labella and seed set without pollination were formerly regarded as C. nublingii.(Blue Mtns and west of Sydney).
Text by P. Bernhardt, updated by M.A.M. Renner (1 Nov 2019) Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 4 (1993)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data ***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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