Acianthus caudatus R. Br. 1810

Plant Photo courtesy of Cathy Powers and her AUSTRALIAN TERRESTRIAL ORCHIDS OTHER FLORA & FAUNA BANJORAH Website

Lip Detail Photos courtesy of Colin Rowan and his Orchid Website

Alba Form Photos courtesy of Colin Rowan and his Retired Aussies WEbsite

Common Name or Meaning The Long Sepal Acianthus - The Mayfly Orchid

Flower Size 1" [2.5 cm]

Found in Victoria Australia as a miniature sized, cool to cold growing terrestrial orchid occuring in light to moderate shade and sandy soil in moist eucalypt forests with small tubers giving rise to a solitary, stalked, cordate, somewhat three-lobed, apiculate leaf with reticulation above and purpilish below which is held horizontal to the ground thatit blooms in the winter and spring on an erect, slender, glabrous, 6" [15 cm] long, few [1 to 9] flowered inflorescence with lanceolate, acuminate bracts andflowers that have an unpleasant odor, said to being akin to an unwashed dog. Pollination of the Nemacianthus species has been studied very little but it is thought to be pollinated by small flies.

Synonyms Epipactis caudata (R.Br.) Poir. 1812; Nemacianthus caudatus ( R.Br. ) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. 2002

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; Botanica's Orchids Laurel Glenn 2002; Minaiature Orchids McQueen 1992