Thelymitra aristata
Lindl. Great Sun-orchidFlowering stem erect, stout, straight, 20–100 cm tall, 2–9 mm diam., green or purplish. Leaf linear to linear-lanceolate, 10–40 cm long, 5–40 mm wide, flattish, fleshy, canaliculate, ribbed abaxially, sheathing at base, light or dark green with a purplish base, sometimes with dark spots or blotches. Inflorescence 5–40-flowered. Sterile bracts 1–4, large, lower ones leaf-like. Perianth segments lanceolate to oblanceolate, 10–25 mm long, blue to violet, rarely greenish-blue, pinkish or white, sometimes with darker longitudinal veins; sepals generally firmer than petals. Column ovoid, 6–8 mm long, white, pale blue or greenish; mid-lobe expanded into a flap-like cover, 2–3 mm long, 1.5–2.5 mm wide, purplish-brown, attenuated, rising over the anther and higher than the lateral lobes, the yellow tip finely toothed or incised, sometimes deeply notched; lateral lobes converging, filiform, usually suberect and straight, sometimes geniculate, hair-tufts mop-like, bushy, usually white, obscuring the orifice below mid-lobe crest. Anther inserted towards base of column, apex ending in a short beak. Flowers Sep.–Nov.
GleP, VVP, GipP, OtP, WaP, Gold, CVU, GGr, DunT, NIS, EGL, EGU, WPro, HSF, HNF, OtR, VAlp. Also SA, NSW, Tas. Grows in open forest, woodland, heathy woodland and heathland on soils ranging from well-drained sand to peaty soils around swamp margins.
Flowers open moderately freely on warm days and are insect-pollinated.
Rare hybrids between Thelymitra aristata and T. ixioides have been observed in East Gippsland.
Weber, J.Z.; Entwisle, T.J. (1994). Thelymitra. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 2, Ferns and Allied Plants, Conifers and Monocotyledons, pp. 840–854. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Spinning
