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  4. Corybas cryptanthus

Corybas cryptanthus

Omoana on 3/12/97.<br>Photographer: Eric Scanlen, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
The rare alba form, Omoana 3/9/05.<br>Photographer: Eric Scanlen, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
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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.

  • 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

Jump to previous conservation statuses

Threats

No apparent threats.

Detailed taxonomy

Family

Orchidaceae

Authority

Corybas cryptanthus Hatch

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

Key to native orchids of New Zealand

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

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.

  • 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.

2017 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: DP, Sp

2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: Sp

2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon

2004 | Not Threatened

Jump to current conservation status

Regional conservation statuses

The regional threat classification system leverages off the national assessments in the NZTCS, providing information relevant for the regional context. Otago conservation status information is sourced from the “Regional conservation status of indigenous vascular plants in Otago” Jarvie S et al. (2024) report.

Otago: 2024 | At Risk – Regionally Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: DPR, DPS, DPT, Sp

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)

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