Calochilus robertsonii
Benth. Purplish Beard-orchidFlowering plant 15–45 cm tall, slender to stout. Leaf erect, linear-lanceolate, to 30 cm long, shorter or longer than raceme, somewhat fleshy, channelled. Stem bracts 1–2. Flowers 2–9, green and purple; subtending bract lanceolate, tapering to a fine point, shorter or longer than flower; pedicel (excluding ovary) 5–14 mm long; dorsal sepal erect, broadly ovate, 12–15 mm long, concave, acute; lateral sepals ovate, as long as dorsal sepal but narrower, spreading at sides of labellum; petals spreading, ovate, asymmetric, about half as long as sepals, yellowish-green with dark vertical stripe. Labellum curved forward, base fleshy, lamina broadly triangular, 15–20 mm long, golden-yellow or green, extreme base covered with crowded purple glandular papillae, tip extending into short glabrous ribbon, in between densely bearded with long purple glistening glandular hairs. Column short, widely winged, with 2 purple eye-like glands at base, connected by a raised purple, often dotted ridge. Flowers Sep.–Dec.
LoM, Wim, GleP, VVP, VRiv, GipP, OtP, WaP, Gold, CVU, GGr, DunT, NIS, EGL, EGU, WPro, HSF, HNF, OtR, Strz, MonT, VAlp. All states except NT. Locally common, mainly in dryish open woodlands and heaths of western Victoria.
Molecular studies do not support the recently described C. platychilus as a species distinct from C. robertsonii, and it is here regarded as a synonym.
The closely related C. therophilus is generally more robust than C. robertsonii and flowers later.
Entwisle, T.J. (1994). Orchidaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 2, Ferns and Allied Plants, Conifers and Monocotyledons, pp. 740–901. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Spinning
