Microtis parviflora R.Br. 1810 Photo courtesy of Cathy Powers and her AUSTRALIAN TERRESTRIAL ORCHIDS OTHER FLORA & FAUNA BANJORAH Website

Flower Closeup

Plant and Flowers in situ, Victoria Australia Photo courtesy of Colin Rowan and his Orchid Website

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Common Name The Small Flowered Microtis - The Slender Onion Orchid

Flower Size 1/8" [3 mm]

Found in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and New Zealand in coastal to lowland open grassland, clay banks, Kauri Forest and roadsides in dry to moist soils at elevations of 50 to 1300 meters as a medium sized, deciduous, cool to cold growing terrestrial with a single tubular leaf and blooms in the spring and early summer on an erect, 20" [50 cm] tall, many [10 to 80] flowered raceme. This species is often found in conjunction with ants and may benefit from their presence.

Synonyms Microtis benthamiana Rchb.f. 1871; Microtis bipulvinaris Nicholls 1949; Microtis holmesii Nicholls 1949; Microtis javanica Rchb.f. 1857

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Bonplandia Rchb.f 1857 M javanica; Die Orchideen #1 1-4 tafel 1&2 Rudolph Schlechter 1971 drawing column only; Die Orchideen #6 21-24 tafel 7 Rudolph Schlechter 1971 drawing hmm;Orchid Australia Vol 11 No 2 1999 photo;AOS Bulletin Vol 73 No 8 2004; Native Orchids of Australia Jones 2006; The Native Orchids of New Zealand, A Colour Field Guide Scanlen & St George 2010 photo fide;

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