New Zealand Plant Conservation Network
  • Member login
  • Join
Facebook
  • Home
  • Flora
    • Flora species
    • Vascular
    • Non Vascular
    • Plant identification
    • Fungi
    • Make your own book
    • Quiz
  • Threats
    • Exotic Plants (Weeds)
    • Pest Animals
    • Other threats
  • Ecosystems
    • Plant communities
    • Ecosystem services
    • Novel ecosystems
  • Publications
    • Documents
    • Newsletter
    • Plant lists
    • Botanical Society journals
    • NZPCN publications
  • Conservation
    • Seedbank
    • Training
    • Restoration
    • Monitoring
    • Habitat protection
    • Funding
    • Botanic gardens
  • NZPCN
    • News
    • Trilepidea newsletter
    • Events
    • Members
    • Council members
    • Awards
    • Shop
    • Donate
    • Favourite Plant
    • Why join NZPCN?
    • Join
  • Help
    • FAQ
    • Query
    • Glossary
  • Contact us
  • Settings

Search flora

You are here:
  1. Home
  2. Flora
  3. Flora species
  4. Gastrodia cooperae

Gastrodia cooperae

Tip of column visible below dark tip of labellum. Wairarapa.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 02/01/2010, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Under Kunzea robusta, Wairarapa.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 02/01/2010, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Perianth cut away to show column and labellum. Wairarapa.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 02/01/2010, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
View into flower showing tips of labellum and column. Wairarapa.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 06/01/2015, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Eastern Wairarapa.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 02/01/2010, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Eastern Wairarapa.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 02/01/2010, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Eastern Wairarapa.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 02/01/2015, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Download PDF Comment on factsheet

NZPCN members can select up to 20 plant species and automatically create a full colour, fully illustrated A4 book describing them (in PDF format).

  • Find out more...
  • Join NZPCN...
Find in plant lists
iNaturalist NZ View observations Donate Support NZPCN

Common name

Cooper’s black orchid

Synonyms

None - first described in 2016

Family

Orchidaceae

Authority

Gastrodia cooperae Lehnebach et J.R.Rolfe

Flora category

Vascular – Native

Endemic taxon

Yes

Endemic genus

No

Endemic family

No

Structural class

Orchids

Current conservation status

  • Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017

The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2017 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2012 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: By Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, John W. Barkla, Shannel P. Courtney, Paul D. Champion, Leon R. Perrie, Sarah M. Beadel, Kerry A. Ford, Ilse Breitwieser, Ines Schönberger, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Peter B. Heenan and Kate Ladley.

2018 | Threatened – Nationally Critical

Previous conservation status

2016 | Threatened – Nationally Critical

Brief description

A terrestrial, parasitic orchid (all parts without chlorophyll). Plants with tubers, producing numerous stems. Flowers fragrant, numerous pendulous, dark brown—green, labellum evident at flower mouth, apex dark brown—black.

Distribution

Endemic. New Zealand, North and South Islands (Wairarapa, North-West Nelson)

Habitat

Gastrodia cooperae is known in the North Island from a small area of rawirinui (Kunzea robusta) forest, and from the South Island from southern beech (Fuscospora solandri) forest. Gastrodia cooperae seems to have a similar ecology to G. cunninghamii with which it is syntopic in the South Island and once was in the North Island sites where G. cooperae historically occurred.

Features

Terrestrial, parasitic (on fungi), leafless, achlorophyllous, herb. Rhizome tuberous, pale brown. Plant 220–360–455–960 mm tall at flowering. Stem solitary, glabrous, dark to pale brown with greyish longitudinal streaks; 1.2–1.6–2.6–4.5 mm diameter. Inflorescence erect, terminal, flowers 6–40, scented, erect when developing and pendulous at anthesis. Floral bract papery, glabrous, deltoid to widely deltoid, apex acute, 2.1–6.6 × 1.6–2.2 mm. Pedicel 1.6–5.3 mm long. Perianth tube 4.9–10.4 × 2.5–5.3 mm, brown to dark brown, surface with pale green to gray wartlike elevations. Sepals reflexed, white to pale green abaxially; margin entire to slightly irregular towards the apex; apex acuminate. Petals adnate to the tube formed by the sepals, oblong, 3.0–3.4 × 1.3–1.8 mm, white on both sides; margin irregular, apex obtuse to round. Labellum 6.5–10.8 mm long; adnate to the base of the perianth, fleshy. Hypochile pale brown, covered with pseudo-pollen, margin entire. Mesochile strongly contracted; margins entire. Epychile trilobed, white at the base to pale yellow towards the apex. Lateral margins incurved, entire in the basal portion then irregularly crenate to cristate towards the apex. Labellum apex fleshy, dark brown to black. Two pale yellow ridges covered in pseudo-pollen extend from the mid-section of the epychile to the apex where they join. Column erect, 5.4–7.8 mm tall, narrow at base and wide towards the apex, 1.2–2.0 mm wide. One oblong or two deltoid wings flank the rostellum. Pollinia two; rostellum flap like, positioned under anther. Stigma at base of the column, ovate. Ovary 3.7–4.6 × 6.1–6.7 mm long, brown with a few greyish wart-like elevations. Capsules upright when mature; seeds pale brown

Similar taxa

Allied to Gastrodia cunninghamii, G. molloyi and G. sesamoides. From Gastrodia cunninghamii it is easily distinguished by the long rather than short column (thus the column is not visible at the flower mouth). From G. sesamoides it can be distinguished by the dark brown to black rather than pale brown to cream or pale pink perianth, and by the tuberculate rather than smooth stem and flower surfaces. From Gastrodia molloyi, G. cooperae differs by the dark brown to black rather than greenish gold to golden brown perianth; and by the labellum apex which is dark brown to black rather than yellow to orange.

Flowering

December - January

Flower colours

Brown, White

Fruiting

January - February

Propagation technique

A parasitic species (on fungi) which should not be removed from the wild

Threats

Historically recorded from several North Island sites - from two of which it now seems to be extinct (the reasons why are not clear). The extant populations (three, one North Island, two South Island) are believed to comprise fewer than 250 mature individuals so making this species ‘Threatened / Nationally Critical, Criterion A1 (Lehnebach et al. 2016; Townsend et al. 2008). While no threats have been documented, the larger Gastrodia species are browsed by possums (Trichosurus vulpecula), and vulnerable to plant collectors.

Etymology

gastrodia: Belly tooth (flower centre)

cooperae: In recognition of Dorothy ‘Dot’ A. Cooper (1941–) who established the New Zealand Native Orchid Group and who authored the Field Guide to New Zealand orchids, which led to the recognition of this species as distinct

Attribution

Fact Sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange (1 October 2016). Description from Lehnebach et al. (2016)

References and further reading

Lehnebach, C.A.; Rolfe, J.R.; Gibbins, J.; Ritchie, P. 2016: Two new species of Gastrodia (Gastrodieae, Orchidaceae) endemic to New Zealand. Phytotaxa 277: 237–254.

Townsend, A.J.; de Lange P.J.; Duffy, C.A.J.; Miskelly C.M.; Molloy J.; Norton D.A. 2008: New Zealand Threat Classification System manual. Department of Conservation, Wellington. 35 pp.

NZPCN Gastrodia Key prepared by Jeremy Rolfe (pdf, 5Mb)

NZPCN Fact Sheet citation

Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Gastrodia cooperae Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/gastrodia-cooperae/ (Date website was queried)

▲ Back to top
  • Home
  • Flora
  • Threats
  • Ecosystems
  • Publications
  • Conservation
  • NZPCN
  • Help
  • Contact us
  • Settings

© 2023 New Zealand Plant Conservation Network • Website by RS

Coastlands Plant Nursery Wildlands

Website sponsor

  • Home
  • Flora
    • Flora species
    • Vascular
      • Ferns
        • King fern
        • True ferns
        • Adder's tongue ferns
        • Fork ferns and whisk ferns
        • Horsetails
      • Conifers
        • Celery pines
        • Kauri
        • Podocarps
          • Podocarpus
          • Dacrydium
          • Prumnopitys
          • Dacrycarpus
          • Halocarpus
          • Lepidothamnus
          • Manoao
        • Cypress
      • Flowering plants
        • Parasites
          • Leafy mistletoes
          • Pygmy mistletoes
            • Korthalsella flowers
            • Korthalsella hosts
            • Dispersal of Korthalsella
            • Associates of Korthalsella
          • Root parasites
          • Saprophytes
        • Epiphytes
          • NZ
            • Typical
            • Occasional
            • Hemi-epiphytes
            • Ephemeral
            • NZ list
        • Monocots
          • Orchids
            • Structure
          • Grasses
        • Dicots
          • Hebes
          • Kowhai
          • Coprosma
          • Beech
          • Rata
        • Carnivorous
        • Deciduous plants
        • Aquatic plants
      • Poisonous natives
      • Threatened plant lists
      • What's a vascular plant?
      • Club mosses
    • Non Vascular
      • Bryophytes
        • Liverworts
        • Mosses
        • Hornworts
      • Algae
        • Seaweeds
      • Lichens
    • Plant identification
      • Written descriptions
      • Experts
      • Plant keys
        • Key to parasitic plant genera
      • Collecting plants
        • Should I collect
        • Choosing a specimen
        • Field notes
        • Fresh plant material
        • Pressing and drying
        • Mounting specimens
        • Labelling specimens
    • Fungi
    • Make your own book
    • Quiz
  • Threats
    • Exotic Plants (Weeds)
      • Unwanted organisms
      • DOC weeds
      • Plant me instead
      • Pest Plant Accord
    • Pest Animals
      • Mammals
        • Mustelids
        • Rodents
        • Ungulates
        • Possums
      • Fish
      • Insects
    • Other threats
      • Natural events
        • Insects
      • Human induced
        • Habitat loss
        • Collection
        • Climate change
  • Ecosystems
    • Plant communities
      • Dunes
        • Volcanic
        • Coastal
          • Threats
          • Common species
          • Research on dunes
          • Pingao research
          • What you can do
      • Wetlands
        • Estuaries
          • Common estuarine species
          • Research on estuaries
        • Ephemeral
        • Restiad peat bogs
      • Forests
        • Kauri-podocarp-broadleaved
        • Podocarp broadleaved
        • Beech
      • Scrub/shrublands
        • Geothermal
          • Distribution of geothermal vegetation
          • Geothermal plants
          • Geothermal vegetation types
          • Threats to geothermal vegetation
        • Frost flat/hollow
        • Manuka fens
        • Gumlands
      • Grasslands
        • Tussock grasslands
      • Bare ground
        • Braided rivers
        • Alpine
        • Cliff
        • Scree and boulderfields
        • Shingle beaches
      • Herbfields
        • Saltpan
    • Ecosystem services
    • Novel ecosystems
  • Publications
    • Documents
    • Newsletter
    • Plant lists
      • Plant lists by region
      • Search plant lists
      • National plant lists
      • How to prepare a plant list
    • Botanical Society journals
    • NZPCN publications
  • Conservation
    • Seedbank
      • Project 1 - Pohutukawa, Rata and Myrtaceae
      • Project 2 - Alpine flora and the Forget-Me-Nots
      • Project 3 - Kowhai and its relatives
      • Project 4 - Podocarps and trees of the forest
    • Training
      • Module 1: Plant life
      • Module 2: Covenants
      • Module 3: Propagation
      • Module 4: Wetlands
      • Pilot course 2006
    • Restoration
      • Gardening
        • Being weed wise
        • Garden plants
          • Trees and shrubs
          • Broad-leaved herbs
          • Grass-like herbs
          • Climbers
          • Ferns
        • Attracting wildlife
        • Planting for lizards
          • Rules
      • Species recovery
        • Plant translocations
      • Ecological restoration
        • Case studies
          • Tavora Reserve
          • Waiwhakareke
      • Revegetation
      • Eco-sourcing
      • Find a restoration group
    • Monitoring
      • Number count
        • Number count method
        • Pros and cons of number counts
        • Data analysis and interpretation
      • Presence/absence surveys
        • Presence/absence survey methods
        • Pros and cons of presence/absence surveys
        • Data analysis and interpretation
      • Mapping spatial extent
        • Spatial extent mapping methods
        • Pros and cons of spatial extent mapping
        • Data analysis and interpretation
      • Photo points
        • Photo point guidelines
    • Habitat protection
      • Legal protection
        • Nga Whenua Rahui
        • QEII covenants
        • DOC Covenants
      • Animal pest control
      • Weed control
      • Fencing
    • Funding
    • Botanic gardens
  • NZPCN
    • News
    • Trilepidea newsletter
    • Events
      • Conference 2022
        • Conference programme summary
        • 2022 conference workshops
        • 2022 conference field trips
        • Code of conduct
        • COVID-19 information
        • 2022 conference sponsors
        • Abstract and poster submission
        • 2022 Conference venue and accommodation
        • Conference Workshop: Restoration Pathways
        • 2022 conference postponement
      • Conference 2019
      • Conference 2017
      • Conference 2015
        • Speakers
        • Workshops
        • Field trips
        • Charity auction
      • Conference 2013
        • Speakers
        • Timetable
    • Members
    • Council members
      • NZPCN council member profiles
      • Council 2013
      • Council 2012
      • Council 2011
      • Council 2010
      • Council 2009
      • Council 2008
      • Council 2007
      • Council 2006
      • Council 2005
      • Council 2004
      • Council 2003
    • Awards
      • NZPCN Awards
        • 2019
        • 2018
        • 2017
        • 2016
        • 2015
        • 2014
        • 2013
        • 2012
        • 2011
        • 2010
        • 2009
        • 2008
        • 2007
        • 2006
        • 2005
        • 2022
      • David Given Scholarship
        • David Given Scholarship Recipients
    • Shop
    • Donate
    • Favourite Plant
    • Why join NZPCN?
    • Join
  • Help
    • FAQ
      • Joining the Network
      • The Network
      • Network website
      • New Zealand plants
      • The law
      • Your discoveries
    • Query
    • Glossary
  • Contact us
  • Settings