Thelymitra rubra

Salmon Sun Orchid
Thelymitra rubra flower
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Orchidaceae
Subfamily:	Orchidoideae
Tribe:	Diurideae
Subtribe:	Thelymitrinae
Genus:	Thelymitra
Species:	T. rubra
Binomial name
Thelymitra rubra Lindl.
Synonyms
Thelymitra urnalis Fitzg. Thelymitra elizabethiae F.Muell.

Thelymitra rubra, commonly called the Salmon Sun Orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to southeastern Australia.

A slender species, about 1 foot high. Leaf linear, hardly 5 inches. Bracts very narrow, stems clasping. Flowers one or two, bright red. Petals and sepals ovate-acute, about 5 lines. Column about 3 lines, produced above and behind the anther, but not hooded, slightly denticulate between the lateral appendages. Lateral appendages lanceolate, produced horizontally beyond the anther almost to a point, not ciliate, but covered on both sides densely with rugose glands. Anther obtuse, continuing to enclose the pollen masses behind the stigma, but produced over it. (This species is closely related to T. carnea, but the flowers are much larger and of a brighter colour. It opens constantly, is evidently not so absolutely self-fertilising, and is easily distinguished by the large and rugose lateral appendages of the column.) South Australia. ^[1]

References

1. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Fitzgerald, Robert. 1882. "New Australian orchids". The Gardeners' chronicle: a weekly illustrated journal of horticulture and allied subjects n. s. (London, England) 17:494-495.