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Microtis oblonga
Microtis oblonga, commonly known as the sweet onion orchid,[2] is a species of orchid endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single hollow, onion-like leaf and up to fifty scented, bright green flowers. It is considered by some Australian authorities to be synonymous with Microtis rara. DescriptionMicrotis oblonga is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single erect, smooth, tubular leaf 200–600 mm (8–20 in) long and 6–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide. Between ten and fifty bright green, sweetly scented flowers are arranged along a flowering stem 400–900 mm (20–40 in) tall. The flowers are 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long and 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) wide. The dorsal sepal is more or less erect, about 3 mm (0.1 in) long and wide. The lateral sepals are 3 mm (0.1 in) long, about 1 mm (0.04 in) wide with their tips rolled under. The petals are 2–2.5 mm (0.08–0.1 in) long, about 1 mm (0.04 in) wide and usually curve forwards. The labellum is oblong, 3–3.5 mm (0.12–0.14 in) long, 1.5–2 mm (0.06–0.08 in) wide with irregular edges and turns downward towards the ovary. There is a raised, dark green callus in the centre of the labellum. Flowering occurs from October to February.[2] Taxonomy and namingMicrotis oblonga was first formally described in 1923 by Richard Sanders Rogers and the description was published in Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of South Australia.[3][4] It is regarded by many Australian authorities as being a synonym of Microtis rara.[3][5][6][7] The specific epithet (oblonga) is a Latin word meaning "longer than broad".[8] Distribution and habitatThe sweet onion orchid grows between grasses and shrubs in open forest from Gympie in Queensland south through New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania and west to south-eastern South Australia.[2][7] References
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