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  4. Thelymitra longifolia

Thelymitra longifolia

Kaitoke Regional Park.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 22/12/2007, 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>
Surville Cliffs, Te Paki.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 20/10/2009, 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>
Kaitoke Regional Park.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 22/12/2007, 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>
Kaitoke Regional Park.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 22/12/2007, 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>
Kaitoke Regional Park.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 22/12/2007, 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>
Thelymitra longifolia.<br>Photographer: Department of Conservation, Licence: Public domain.
Entomophilous race, Surville Cliffs. Oct 1990.<br>Photographer: Gillian M. Crowcroft, Licence: All rights reserved.
Entomophilous race, Surville Cliffs. Oct 1990.<br>Photographer: Gillian M. Crowcroft, Licence: All rights reserved.
Tararua Forest Park.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 23/12/2007, 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>
Tararua Forest Park.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 23/12/2007, 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>
Tararua Forest Park.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 23/12/2007, 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 Hutt hills.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 18/11/2007, 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 Hutt hills.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 18/11/2007, 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 Hutt hills.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 18/11/2007, 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 Hutt hills.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 18/11/2007, 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 Hutt hills.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 18/11/2007, 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 Hutt hills.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 18/11/2007, 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>
Lake Ototoa, Kaipara Harbour; lake edge, dehisced seed capsules.<br>Photographer: Colin C. Ogle, Date taken: 13/05/2016, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Pink-flowered form. Days Bay, Eastbourne.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 19/11/2016, 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>
Pink-flowered form. Days Bay, Eastbourne.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 19/11/2016, 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>
Pink-flowered form. Days Bay, Eastbourne.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 19/11/2016, 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>
Thelymitra longifolia.<br>Photographer: Mike Thorsen, Licence: All rights reserved. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Thelymitra longifolia.<br>Photographer: Department of Conservation, Licence: Public domain.
Thelymitra longifolia.<br>Photographer: Nicholas J. D. Singers, Licence: All rights reserved.
Thelymitra longifolia.<br>Photographer: Department of Conservation, Licence: Public domain.
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Common names

white sun orchid, māikuku

Biostatus

Native

Category

Vascular

Structural class

Orchids

Flower colours

Red/Pink, White

Detailed description

Terrestrial, tuberous, glabrous, spring to summer-green perennial herb, either solitary or in dense colonies of 4–20 plants arising through vegetative extension. Plant at flower up to 1 m tall (usually much less). Leaf solitary, erect, suberect or trailing the ground, very fleshy to subcoriaceous, deeply to weakly channelled and prominently ribbed longitudinally, 50–380 × 10–40 mm, green, dark green, reddish-green, reddish brown or yellow-green, lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, base closely sheathing, margins, surface and apex often disfigured by black spots and sometimes by prominent dark orange-brown rust pustules. Flowering stem stiffly erect, rather wiry, green, reddish green to brownish green. Bracts 1–2–(3), foliaceous, closely-sheathing, fleshy, of similar colour to stem and leaf. Raceme bearing (1)–5–(20) scented or unscented flowers. Flowers 8–18 mm diameter, externally red-green to dark green, internally white or very pale pink, segments spreading, widely spreading or scarcely opening. Dorsal sepal slightly broader than lateral sepals. Petals and labellum alike, narrowly ovate, subacute. Column up to 8 mm long, erect, basally brown or white grading to dark brown to almost black toward apex; column arms terete, mostly bent inwards such that they are lying more or less under post-anther lobe; cilia abundant, floccose (like cotton) or coarsely ciliate, white or cream, short and crowded in globose masses; post anther lobe overtopping anther, dark and smooth above middle, and usually yellowish on the semi-circular cucullate apex.

Similar taxa

Most likely to be confused with Thelymitra colensoi Hook.f. and T. pauciflora R.Br., from both of which it differs by its usually white, sometimes pale pink flowers. From T. pauciflora it is readily separated by the broad, undivided, hooded column which usually completely encloses the cilia of the column arms. Smaller forms are separated from T. colensoi by their white flowers and broader, taller column which completely encloses the cilia of the column arms.

Distribution

Indigenous. New Zealand: Manawatāwhi / Three Kings Islands, North Island, South Island, Stewart Island/Rakiura, Chatham Islands, Auckland Islands. Also on Norfolk Island.

Habitat

Coastal to subalpine (up to 1200 m a.s.l.). Occupying a wide range of habitats from open ultramafic talus to dense forest. However, it is most common in shrublands. This species is extremely variable and it is likely that following taxonomic revision, a number of forms, some with distinct ecologies, may be formally segregated.

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 | Not Threatened

Jump to previous conservation statuses

Detailed taxonomy

Family

Orchidaceae

Authority

Thelymitra longifolia J.R.Forst. et G.Forst.

Synonyms

Thelymitra alba Colenso, Thelymitra nemoralis Colenso, Thelymitra angustifolia Hook.f., Thelymitra aristata sensu Hatch nom. inv., Thelymitra forsteri Sw., Thelymitra grandis F.Muel. ex Benth., Thelymitra longifolia var. alba (Colenso) Cheeseman, Thelymitra longifolia var. forsteri (Sw.) Hatch, Thelymitra purpureo-fusca Colenso

Taxonomic notes

At least three forms of T. longifolia are included here. One is usually associated with montane beech (Nothofagaceae) forests. This is a small slender plant, which has a linear-lanceolate yellow-green leaf and usually a single, scarcely opening, self-pollinating white flower. Another is a widespread variable plant with numerous flowers, which are unscented, and mostly only open on hot, still, sunny days. This form has column arm cilia that are distinctly floccose (like cotton wool). It is self pollinating and matches the type. The last form has numerous scented flowers, which open in sunny or cloudy weather, and coarse column arm cilia. This form is insect pollinated.

Endemic taxon

No

Endemic genus

No

Endemic family

No

Ecology

Flowering

September–February

Fruiting

October–April

Propagation technique

Moderately easy to grow. Does well in a pot. Should not be removed from the wild. This species often naturalises into gardens adjoining indigenous vegetation. It is sometimes seen as a pot contaminant of commerical plant lines.

Other information

Etymology

thelymitra: Woman’s hat

longifolia: Long leaf

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.

THELON

Chromosome number

2n = 26

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 | Not Threatened

2012 | Not Threatened

2009 | Not Threatened

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 | Regionally Not Threatened

Referencing and citations

References and further reading

de Lange P, Rolfe J, St George I, Sawyer J. 2007. Wild orchids of the lower North Island. Department of Conservation, Wellington, NZ. 194 p.

Rolfe JR, de Lange PJ. 2010. Illustrated guide to New Zealand sun orchids, Thelymitra (Orchidaceae). Jeremy Rolfe, Wellington, NZ. 57 p.

Attribution

Fact Sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 14 April 2007. Description subsequently published in de Lange et al. (2007) and Rolfe & de Lange (2010).

NZPCN Fact Sheet citation

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

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