Acianthus exsertus R. Br. 1810

Photo courtesy of Colin Rowanand his Orchid Website

Plant

Photo courtesy of Cathy Powers and Her AUSTRALIAN TERRESTRIAL ORCHIDS & OTHER FLORA & FAUNA - Banjorah Website

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Common Name The Outstanding Acianthus - The Large Mosquito Orchid - The Dark Mosquito Orchid

Flower Size 1/4" [8 mm]

Found in New South Wales and Victoria Australia in moist to wet eucalypt forest, sheltered slopes and gullies at elevations of seea level to 800 meters as a miniature sized, cool to cold growing terrestrial orchid with a low to the ground, heart-shaped, green above, purple below, leaf and an erect, several flowered, 2 1/2" [5.5 cm] long, racemose inflorescence that occurs in the fall and winter in situ. The flowers are said to be pollinated by small flies.

Synonyms Epipactis exserta (R.Br.) Poir. 1812

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Manual of Orchids Stewart 1995; Manual of Cultivated Orchids Bechtel, Cribb, Laurent 1992; The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Orchds Pridgeon 1992; Native Orchids of Australia Jones 2006

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