Corybas cryptanthus
Common names
hidden spider orchid, icky
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Orchids
Flower colours
Red/Pink, White
Detailed description
Saprophytic, rhizomatous, subterranean, orchid lacking chlorophyll and flowering usually buried within leaf litter, only rarely with flowers exposed. Fruiting stem greatly elongated, exposed and held well above the ground. Rhizomes, stems, and flowers hyaline white, usually flecked with red, purple or brown, rarely without any colour. Tubers scarcely evident, minute, globose, partially obscured by leaf-scales. Rhizomes horizontal, extensive, succulent, without roots, frequently and laxly branched, buried within leaf mould and litter, up to 1 mm diameter and 100–120 mm long. Leaves reduced to minute deltoid scales spaced at about 10 mm intervals along rhizome, the one at the base of the flower stem usually broadly ovate and larger. Flowers solitary. Floral bract > to » ovary. Perianth usually hyaline white to pale pink, more or less streaked with red or purple, sometimes completely white. Dorsal sepal 10–14 mm long, narrow-lanceolate, acuminate; lateral sepals longer than dorsal sepal and labellum, filiform, often protruding from leaf litter. Petals similar to lateral sepals but distinctly shorter. Labellum up to 15 mm long, auriculate at base, the margins meeting behind the column and touching for about half the labellum length, central portion much thickened and papillose, the distal portion greatly expanded, more or less deflexed, usually not abruptly but sometimes so, with the free margin upturned, coarsely and abundantly laciniate, laciniae sometimes branched, margins finely ciliate. Fruiting capsule ovoid, hyaline, flecked with red or purple; terminal on a greatly expanded, erect stem up to 280 mm tall; capsule initially down-turned, at maturity either horizontal or erect.
Similar taxa
Extremely distinctive—the saprophytic, subterranean growth habit, succulent, wide-spreading and branching rhizome, absence of chlorophyll, greatly reduced scale-like leaves and minute tubers, and the distinctive translucent almost crystalline flower with the coarsely toothed labellum apex readily separate this species from all other indigenous orchids. Because of its growth habit this species is easily overlooked, and it is most often found when in fruit. Because it often grows in the same habitats as Corybas cheesemanii which may also have its leaves buried within leaf litter it is easily overlooked. From C. cheesemanii it is easily distinguished by the absence of chlorotic leaves, and by the fruiting capsule which when it emerges is down-turned not erect, and at maturity is mostly held horizontally. The fruiting stem of Corybas cryptanthus is translucent-hyaline and usually red or purple flecked, that of Corybas cheesemanii is white and opaque.
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: Manawatāwhi / Three Kings Islands, North Island, South Island.
Habitat
Coastal to montane. In dense shrublands and tall forest. Confined to deep, partially decomposed leaf litter where it is easily overlooked except when fruiting. Current records suggest a preference for growing under kānuka (Kunzea spp.) and Nothofagaceae. It often grows with Corybas cheesemanii (Hook.f. ex Kirk) Kuntze.
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
Please note, threat classifications are often suggested by authors when publications fall between NZTCS assessment periods – these interim threat classification statuses has not been assessed by the NZTCS panel.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2023 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: Sp, DPS, DPT
Threats
No apparent threats.
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Orchidaceae
Synonyms
Corybas saprophyticus Hatch; Corysanthes cryptantha (Hatch) Szlach.; Molloybas cryptanthus (Hatch) D.L.Jones et M.A.Clem.
Taxonomic notes
Considerable research is underway to investigate the validity of the segregate genera split from Corybas R.Br. by Clements et al. (2002). Whilst much of that work has yet to be published, on advice from Australian Orchidologists Peter Weston and Stephen Hopper (pers. comm., July 2011, November 2014), all of the segregate genera recognised for New Zealand by Jones et al. (2002) are returned to Corybas (see also Garnock-Jones 2014; Lyon 2014).
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
June–October
Fruiting
October–April
Propagation technique
As a saprophytic species this orchid is virtually impossible to cultivate. It should not be removed from the wild.
Other information
Etymology
corybas: Helmet flower
Manaaki Whenua Online Interactive Key
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
CORCRY
Chromosome number
2n = 34
Previous conservation statuses
2017 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: DP, Sp
2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: Sp
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon
2004 | Not Threatened
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Garnock-Jones PJ. 2014: Evidence-based review of the taxonomic status of New Zealand’s endemic seed plant genera. New Zealand Journal of Botany 52(2): 163–212. https://doi.org/10.1080/0028825X.2014.902854.
Jones DL, Clements MA, Sharma IK, Mackenzie AM, Molloy BPJ. 2002. Nomenclatural notes arising from studies into the Tribe Diurideae (Orchidaceae). The Orchadian 13(10): 437–468. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/310769#page/2/mode/1up.
Irwin JB. 1954. Corybas saprophyticus. Wellington Botanical Society Bulletin 27: 22–23.
Lyon SP. 2014. Molecular systematics, biogeography, and mycorrhizal associations in the Acianthinae (Orchidaceae), with a focus on the genus Corybas. PhD Thesis, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA. https://asset.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/UAXO3VHO6P7EH8Y/R/file-19145.pdf.
Moore LB, Edgar E. 1970. Flora of New Zealand, Volume II. Indigenous Tracheophyta: Monocotyledones except Gramineae. Government Printer, Wellington, NZ. 354 p.
Whitaker T. 1957. Corybas cryptanthus (saprophyticus). Wellington Botanical Society Bulletin 29: 3.
Attribution
Fact Sheet by P.J. de Lange (1 January 2005). Description adapted from Moore and Edgar (1970)
Some of this factsheet information is derived from Flora of New Zealand Online and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand licence.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Corybas cryptanthus Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/corybas-cryptanthus/ (Date website was queried)