NEW SOUTH WALES FLORA ONLINE

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Synonyms: Thelymitra erosa subsp. incurva Jeanes APNI*

Description: Glabrous terrestrial herb.

Leaves linear to linear-lanceolate, 10–20 cm long, 4–9 mm wide, erect, fleshy to leathery, dark green with purplish base.

Inflorescence scape 20–65 cm high. Flowers 1–7, 15–25 mm across, pale blue or rarely pink, lacking obvious darker longitudinal striations. Perianth segments 7–12 mm long, 3–7 mm wide. Labellum often slightly broader than petals. Column erect from the end of ovary, 4–5.5 mm long, 2.5–3.5 mm wide, broadly winged, pale blue. Post-anther lobe slightly hooding the anther, 1.5–2 mm long, reddish brown to almost black, often bilobed, margin thickened, irregular, sometimes with a central tooth, dorsal surface rugulose, apex yellow or pinkish. Auxiliary lobes absent; lateral lobes strongly incurved throughout, fleshy, pink or brownish at base, faces smooth, cream to yellow. Anther inserted towards apex of column, green. Stigma situated at base of column, concave, margins irregular.

Capsules obovoid, 10–18 mm long, 4–8 mm wide, erect, ribbed.

Flowering: Flowers late October to early December.

Distribution and occurrence: South- coast of New South Wales and far eastern Victoria.

Grows in heathlands and heathy woodlands mostly around the edges of grasstree (Xanthorrhoea resinosa) plains, often in disturbed sites such as roadsides and gravel scrapes. Soils are moist coarse sandy, peaty loams. Altitude: 40-100 m.
NSW subdivisions: SC
Other Australian states: Vic.

AVH map***

Currently known from about six sites with very few plants and probably endangered. Suggest 2EC by criteria of Briggs and Leigh (1996) and Endangered (EN) by criteria of IUCN (2011).