Corybas rotundifolius

Detailed description

Diminutive orchid forming small colonies of 2–6 plants within deep drifts of leaf litter on poorly drained ground usually under regenerating forest or within gumland scrub. Plants at flowering 15–35 mm tall. Stem erect. Leaf usually solitary (sometimes paired), 10–25 mm long, blue-green, green to dull green, sessile, broadly ovate, rarely pandurate. Floral bract 1, < ovary. Flower usually solitary (sometimes 2), conspicuous, aligned over leaf, and raised well above it. Perianth 8–10–(18) mm long, horizontal, drooping. Dorsal sepal cream to pale-white, spathulate from narrow arching claw, obtuse, hooded, distinctly shorter than labellum (rarely the same length), apex entire. Lateral sepals and petals linear 4–5–(8) mm long, white to yellow-white, more or less incurving and appressed to labellum. Labellum tubular, margins overlapping, entire, apex usually extending well beyond dorsal sepal; labellum faintly striped 2–6 times for entire length, maroon, otherwise basally blotched dark maroon-red, with the colour extending as a paler broad band toward the apex where it again darkens such that apex is usually dark maroon-red; internal portion of labellum covered in prominent, retrorse, hair-like calli, forming a distinct band from the labellum mouth, along mid-line and nerves, reaching almost to the column.