Diuris praecox D.L.Jones APNI* 
Description: Terrestrial herb.
Leaves 2 or 3, linear, 15–35 cm long, 3–5 mm wide, conduplicate.
Raceme 20–40 cm high, 6–10-flowered. Flowers nodding, yellow with a few dark brown markings at the base of the dorsal sepal and labellum, c. 2.5 c. across. Dorsal sepal narrow-ovate, 9–11 mm long, 4.5–6 mm wide, obliquely erect. Lateral sepals linear to lanceolate, 12–15 mm long, 1.5–2 mm wide, deflexed, parallel. Petals obliquely erect, widely divergent, recurved; lamina narrow-elliptic to ovate, 8–12 mm long, 5–6 mm wide; claw 4–6 mm long, blackish. Labellum 9–12 mm long; lateral lobes linear to ± obovate, 3–4 mm long, 0.8–1.4 mm wide, apex irregular; midlobe ovate when flattened, 5–7 mm wide, ridged along midline; callus of 2 incurved ridges c. 5 mm long.
Flowering: July to early September
Distribution and occurrence: Grows in sclerophyll forest of coastal and near-coastal districts; from Ourimbah to Nelson Bay.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC
Threatened species: NSW BCA: Vulnerable; Commonwealth EPBC: Vulnerable
This species has possible synonomy with Diuris bracteata, and if that occurs this species would be sunk under the name Diuris bracteata. [Peter Weston May 2013]
Text by D. L. Jones
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.
|
