# Arthrochilus

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Genus of flowering plants

Elbow orchids Arthrochilus latipes in Kakadu National Park Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae Clade: Embryophytes Clade: Tracheophytes Clade: Spermatophytes Clade: Angiosperms Clade: Monocots Order: Asparagales Family: Orchidaceae Subfamily: Orchidoideae Tribe: Diurideae Subtribe: Drakaeinae Genus: Arthrochilus F.Muell.[1] Synonyms[1] Phoringopsis D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. Thynninorchis D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem.

***Arthrochilus***, commonly called **elbow orchids,** is a [genus](/source/Genus) of about fifteen species of [flowering plants](/source/Flowering_plant) from the [orchid](/source/Orchid) family (Orchidaceae) and is found in [Australia](/source/Australia) and [New Guinea](/source/New_Guinea). The flowers are pollinated by male [thynnid wasps](/source/Thynnidae) which attempt to mate with the flower and are held in place by hooks while the [pollinium](/source/Pollinium) is transferred between insect and flower.

## Description

Orchids in the genus *Arthrochilus* are terrestrial, [perennial](/source/Perennial_plant), [deciduous](/source/Deciduous), [sympodial](/source/Sympodial) [herbs](/source/Herbaceous_plant) usually with a few inconspicuous, fine roots and a single oval-shaped [tuber](/source/Tuber) lacking a protective fibrous [sheath](/source/Tunica_(biology)). (*[A. huntianus](/source/Arthrochilus_huntianus)* lacks a true tuber.) Some species form colonies, reproducing asexually from daughter tubers formed on the end of root-like [stolons](/source/Stolon). The stem is short, erect and unbranched with thin, leaf-like [cataphylls](/source/Cataphyll) at each [node](/source/Plant_stem). There are up to six leaves at or near the base of the plant, sometimes forming a [rosette](/source/Rosette_(botany)) around the stem.[2][3][4]

Labelled image

The [inflorescence](/source/Inflorescence) is a [raceme](/source/Raceme) with a few to many non-[resupinate](/source/Resupination#Orchidaceae), dull-coloured flowers on a wiry stalk. The [dorsal](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/dorsal) [sepal](/source/Sepal) is similar to or larger than the [lateral](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/lateral) sepals and its sides curve inwards. The lateral sepals and [petals](/source/Petal) are attached the base of the [column](/source/Column_(botany)), the petals similar to, but smaller than the sepals. The highly modified [labellum](/source/Labellum_(botany)) is dominated by the [callus](/source/Labellum_(botany)) and is hinged to the column by a flexible "claw". The callus is ornamented with feathery [cilia](/source/Cilium) and club-shaped structures which gives the labellum the form of a wingless, female wasp. The column has two pairs of wings, two which surround the sexual parts of the flower and two larger hook-like wings either side of the column. Elbow orchids mainly flower in summer and the fruit that follows flowering is a [glabrous](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/glabrous) [dehiscent](/source/Dehiscence_(botany)) [capsule](/source/Capsule_(botany)) containing a large number of winged seeds.[2][3][4]

## Taxonomy and naming

The genus *Arthrochilus* was first formally described in 1858 by [Ferdinand von Mueller](/source/Ferdinand_von_Mueller) and the description was published in *[Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae](/source/Fragmenta_phytographiae_Australiae)*. Mueller described *[Arthrochilus irritabilis](/source/Arthrochilus_irritabilis)* at the same time and it is regarded as the [type species](/source/Type_species).[5][6] The scientific name of the genus is derived from the [Ancient Greek](/source/Ancient_Greek) words *arthron* meaning "joint"[7]: 446 and *cheilos* meaning "lip"[7]: 200 referring to the jointed labellum.[2]

## Distribution and habitat

Elbow orchids are found in all states of Australia except [Western Australia](/source/Western_Australia) and in southern [Papua New Guinea](/source/Papua_New_Guinea) and on the [Torres Strait Islands](/source/Torres_Strait_Islands). The majority of elbow orchid species occur in tropical regions but *[A. huntianus](/source/Arthrochilus_huntianus)* grows in eastern Australia with the subspecies *nothofagicola* occurring in [Tasmania](/source/Tasmania). The tropical species grow and flower in the summer wet season, usually growing in sand in forest or woodland.[2]

## Ecology

The labellum of elbow orchids mimics wingless female thynnid wasps of the [Superfamily](/source/Taxonomic_rank) [Vespoidea](/source/Vespoidea), [Family](/source/Family_(taxonomy)) [Thynnidae](/source/Thynnidae). In its attempt to fly off with the dummy female, the insect is thrust head-first against the column where the hooked wings hold the insect in place long enough for the [pollinia](/source/Pollinium) to stick to its back. If it is carrying pollinia from another flower, the pollinia are crushed against the [stigma](/source/Stigma_(botany)). For three species of elbow orchid, a single species of wasp from the genus *[Arthrothynnus](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Arthrothynnus&action=edit&redlink=1)* has been identified. In the case of some tropical species, the wasps struggle so violently with the labellum that the organ is often torn off. Some other orchids similarly employ thynnid wasps as pollinators but only *Arthrochilus* flowers have restraining hooks on the labellum.[2][8]

## Species list

The following is a list of species recognised by the *[Plants of the World Online](/source/Plants_of_the_World_Online)* as at October 2025:[1]

- *[Arthrochilus apectus](/source/Arthrochilus_apectus)* D.L.Jones - untidy elbow orchid ([Qld.](/source/Queensland))

- *[Arthrochilus aquilus](/source/Arthrochilus_aquilus)* D.L.Jones - dark elbow orchid (Qld.)

- *[Arthrochilus byrnesii](/source/Arthrochilus_byrnesii)* Blaxell - sandstone truffle orchid (N.T., W.A.)

- *[Arthrochilus corinnae](/source/Arthrochilus_corinnae)* D.L.Jones - swamp elbow orchid (Qld.)

- *[Arthrochilus dockrillii](/source/Arthrochilus_dockrillii)* Lavarack - green truffle orchid (Qld.)

- *[Arthrochilus huntianus](/source/Arthrochilus_huntianus)* (F.Muell.) Blaxell - common elbow orchid (N.S.W., Tas., Vic., S.A.)

- *[Arthrochilus irritabilis](/source/Arthrochilus_irritabilis)* F.Muell. - clubbed elbow orchid (Qld.)

- *[Arthrochilus laevicallus](/source/Arthrochilus_laevicallus)* Ormerod (Papua New Guinea)

- *[Arthrochilus latipes](/source/Arthrochilus_latipes)* D.L.Jones - robust elbow orchid (N.T.)

- *[Arthrochilus lavarackianus](/source/Arthrochilus_lavarackianus)* (D.L.Jones) Lavarack - glaucous truffle orchid (Qld.)

- *[Arthrochilus oreophilus](/source/Arthrochilus_oreophilus)* D.L.Jones - montane elbow orchid (Qld.)

- *[Arthrochilus prolixus](/source/Arthrochilus_prolixus)* D.L.Jones - wispy elbow orchid (N.S.W., Qld.)

- *[Arthrochilus rosulatus](/source/Arthrochilus_rosulatus)* D.L.Jones - rosetted elbow orchid (Qld.)

- *[Arthrochilus sabulosus](/source/Arthrochilus_sabulosus)* D.L.Jones - spotted elbow orchid (Qld.)

- *[Arthrochilus stenophyllus](/source/Arthrochilus_stenophyllus)* D.L.Jones - narrow-leaved elbow orchid (Qld.)

## See also

- [List of Orchidaceae genera](/source/List_of_Orchidaceae_genera)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-PoWO_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-PoWO_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-PoWO_1-2) ["*Arthrochilus*"](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:28769-1). Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 23 October 2025.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Orchids_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Orchids_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Orchids_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Orchids_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Orchids_2-4) Pridgeon, Alec M.; Cribb, Phillip J.; Chase, Mark W.; Rasmussen, Finn, eds. (2001). *Genera Orchidacearum, Volume 2, Orchidoideae (part 1)*. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. pp. 135–139. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0198507100](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0198507100).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-RBGS_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-RBGS_3-1) Bernhardt, Peter H. ["Genus *Arthrochilus*"](http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&showsyn=&dist=&constat=&lvl=gn&name=Arthrochilus). Royal Botanic Garden Sydney: plantnet. Retrieved 22 July 2016.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-ATROK_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-ATROK_4-1) [D.L.Jones](/source/David_L._Jones_(botanist)); T.Hopley; S.M.Duffy (2010). ["Arthrochilus"](https://www.canbr.gov.au/cpbr/cd-keys/RFKOrchids/key/rfkorchids/Media/Html/genera/Arthrochilus.htm). *[Australian Tropical Rainforest Orchids](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Australian_Tropical_Rainforest_Orchids&action=edit&redlink=1)*. Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), [Australian Government](/source/Australian_Government). Retrieved 27 May 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-APNI_5-0)** ["*Arthrochilus*"](https://id.biodiversity.org.au/instance/apni/530064). APNI. Retrieved 22 July 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-F.Muell._6-0)** von Mueller, Ferdinand (1858). [*Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae (Volume 1)*](https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/7218#page/44/mode/1up). London. pp. 42–43. Retrieved 22 July 2016.{{[cite book](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_book)}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_location_missing_publisher))

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-RWB_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-RWB_7-1) Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). *The Composition of Scientific Words*. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Pridgeon_8-0)** Pridgeon, Alec M., ed. (2001). *Genera Orchidacearum. Volume 2, Orchidoideae (part 1)*. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. pp. 137–138. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0198507100](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0198507100).

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Arthrochilus](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Arthrochilus).

- [Australian Native Orchid Society (Queensland), Kabi Group, *Arthrochilus prolixus*](http://www.ourshopfront.com/kabi/html/Natives/Arthrochilus%20prolixus.php)

- [Retired Aussies, *Thynninorchis huntianus*, Elbow Orchid, synonym *Arthrochilus huntianus*](http://www.retiredaussies.com/ColinsHome%20Page/Orchids/Thynninorchis/Thynninorchis%20huntianus.htm)

- [Orchids Online, *Arthrochilus oreophilus*, Synonym: *Spiculea irritabilis* sensu Dockr.](https://web.archive.org/web/20140521200422/http://www.orchidsonline.com.au/node/2409)

Taxon identifiers Arthrochilus Wikidata: Q249471 Wikispecies: Arthrochilus APNI: 102152 BOLD: 1084064 CoL: 8VV7W EoL: 107629 FloraBase: 22688 FoAO2: Arthrochilus GBIF: 2816717 GRIN: 1003 iNaturalist: 559050 IPNI: 28769-1 IRMNG: 1299206 NCBI: 163063 Open Tree of Life: 115949 POWO: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:28769-1 Tropicos: 40020141 VicFlora: f088721a-f07f-440f-9abc-282b09749968 WFO: wfo-4000003158

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Arthrochilus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthrochilus) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthrochilus?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.