ANOS Sydney January 2017 Plant of the Evening
Cryptostylis erecta
While a very common terrestrial orchid in the Sydney region, to our memory, it was the first time Cryptostylis erecta being benched in ANOS Sydney meeting in the last 5-6 years.
Cryptostylis erecta is a terrestrial orchid commonly known as the Bonnet Orchid or Tartan Tongue Orchid. The benched plant is a small one and bore a single inflorescence with two fully opened flowers, displaying their attractive lilac labella.
Cryptostylis erecta – single flower:
In nature, Cryptostylis erecta grows to 40 cm tall, has prominent dark green lanceolate to ovate leaves, the undersides of which are purple. The inflorescences appear from spring to autumn (September to April) and bear two to twelve individual flowers. Each flower has a prominent hood- or bonnet-shaped lilac labellum with maroon stripes and markings (with all the sepals and other petals reduced to thin greenish appendages). The natural habitat is on sandy soils, dry eucalyptus woodlands and heathlands. Cryptostylis erecta occurs mostly in coastal districts from Kroombit Tops in Queensland to eastern Victoria, between 0-600m altitudes. Like other Australian members of its genus, it is pollinated by the male ichneumon wasp known as the orchid dupe wasp (Lissopimpla excelsa), which mistakes the floral parts for female wasps and copulates with it.
Cryptostylis erecta – whole inflorescence:
Cryptostylis erecta is a slow grower. The rhizomes are delicate and resent disturbance, and need to be moist at all times. Incidentally the owner has grown it without repotting for a few years. It is kept in the western side of the bush house where it is watered along with the Dockrillia living in the same area and so is kept in a rather moist condition.
Photos by Sau-wan Chan
