The freckled sun orchid

Description

Thelymitra sargentii, commonly called the freckled sun orchid, is a species of orchid in the family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It has a single thick, leathery leaf and up to twenty five strongly scented, lemon yellow flowers with brown blotches. It grows in arid areas but where it receives runoff during rainfall. Thelymitra sargentii is a tuberous, perennial herb with a single erect, leathery leaf 100–250 mm (4–10 in) long and 10–20 mm (0.4–0.8 in) wide. Between five and twenty five, lemon yellow flowers with brown blotches, 35–40 mm (1–2 in) wide are borne on a flowering stem 300–500 mm (10–20 in) tall. The sepals and petals are 16–20 mm (0.6–0.8 in) long and 5–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide. The column is yellow, 6–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and about 3 mm (0.1 in) wide. The lobe on the top of the anther has a notched orange tip and a warty back. The side lobes have a dense, yellow pimply end. Flowering occurs in September and October. The flowers are strongly scented, insect pollinated and open freely on warm days. Thelymitra sargentii was first formally described in 1930 by Richard Sanders Rogers from a specimen collected by Oswald Sargent and the description was published in Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia. The specific epithet (sargentii) honours the collector of the type specimen. The freckled sun orchid mainly grows near shrubs and small trees where it benefits from runoff during rain. It grows on sandplain between Kalbarri, Kalgoorlie and Hyden. Thelymitra sargentii is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife. Thelymitra, commonly known as sun orchids, is a genus of more than 100 species of plants in the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Unlike most other orchids, sun orchids lack a highly modified labellum and all three petals are similar in size, shape and colour. The column is, however, highly modified and usually has prominent wings or glands which are helpful in identifying the species. Most sun orchids close their flowers at night, in cloudy or cool weather, giving rise to their common name. The scientific name means "woman's hood" and refers to the hooded column present in most, but not all species. Most species are endemic to Australia although some are found as far from there as the Philippines and Indonesia. The type species, Thelymitra longifolia, the first to be formally described, was collected in New Zealand.