# Cryptostylis subulata

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Species of orchid

Large tongue orchid In Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae Clade: Embryophytes Clade: Tracheophytes Clade: Spermatophytes Clade: Angiosperms Clade: Monocots Order: Asparagales Family: Orchidaceae Subfamily: Orchidoideae Tribe: Diurideae Genus: Cryptostylis Species: C. subulata Binomial name Cryptostylis subulata (Labill.) Rchb.f.[1] Synonyms[1] Cryptostylis longifolia R.Br. nom. illeg., nom. superfl. Malaxia subulata R.S.Rogers orth. var. Malaxis subulata Labill.

***Cryptostylis subulata***, commonly known as **large tongue orchid**, **duckbill orchid** or **cow orchid**,[2] is a common and widespread orchid in south eastern [Australia](/source/Australia) and [New Zealand](/source/New_Zealand). It has relatively large, leathery, dark green to yellowish-green leaves and up to twenty yellowish flowers with a reddish-brown and dark purple [labellum](/source/Labellum_(botany)). It is often found in damp or swampy situations but also occurs in drier places.

## Description

*Cryptostylis subulata* is a terrestrial, [perennial](/source/Perennial_plant), [deciduous](/source/Deciduous), [herb](/source/Herbaceous_plant) with leathery, dark green to yellowish-green leaves which sit on [petioles](/source/Petiole_(botany)) that are anywhere from 1 to 15 cm (0.5 to 6 in) long. The leaves are lance-shaped and measure 5–20 cm (2–8 in) long and 1–3 cm (0.5–1 in) across. The [inflorescences](/source/Inflorescence) (flower spikes) appear from August to April and bear two to twenty individual flowers on a flowering stem which is 50–80 cm (19.5–31.5 in) tall. Each flower has three green [sepals](/source/Sepal) which are 1.8 to 3 cm (0.71 to 1.18 in) long, and two [petals](/source/Petal) which are 1.0 to 1.3 cm (0.39 to 0.51 in) long and narrower than the sepals. The labellum is a rolled reddish brown, purplish or yellowish tube-like structure measuring 1.5–3.5 cm (0.59–1.38 in) long by 0.5–1 cm (0.20–0.39 in) across. There is a dark purple [callus](/source/Labellum_(botany)) ending in two knobs on the lower side of the labellum.[3][4][5]

## Taxonomy and naming

Large tongue orchid was first formally described in 1806 by [Jacques Labillardière](/source/Jacques_Labillardi%C3%A8re) from a specimen collected in [Tasmania](/source/Tasmania). Labillardière gave it the name *Malaxis subulata* and published the description in *[Novae Hollandiae Plantarum Specimen](/source/Novae_Hollandiae_Plantarum_Specimen)*.[6][7] In 1871 [H.G. Reichenbach](/source/Heinrich_Gustav_Reichenbach) changed the name to *Cryptostylis subulata*.[8] The [specific epithet](/source/Botanical_name) (*subulata*) is derived from the [Latin](/source/Latin) word *subula* meaning "[awl](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/awl)".[5][9]

## Distribution and habitat

It is tolerant of a range of soils, from well-drained sandy heathland to swampy depressed areas,[10] as well as dry eucalypt forest. It occurs mostly in coastal districts of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania, although it is also found in the [Blue Mountains](/source/Blue_Mountains_(Australia)).[4] In New Zealand it is only known from swamps north of [Kaitaia](/source/Kaitaia) and [Taipa-Mangonui](/source/Taipa-Mangonui).[5]

## Ecology

Like other Australian members of its genus, it is pollinated by the [ichneumon](/source/Ichneumonidae) wasp known as the orchid dupe wasp (*[Lissopimpla excelsa](/source/Lissopimpla_excelsa)*), the males of which mistake the flower parts for female wasps and copulate with it.[11]

## Use in horticulture

*Cryptostylis subulata* has been successfully grown by orchid enthusiasts, but is slow growing. The rhizomes are delicate and resent disturbance, and need to be moist at all times.[10]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-APC_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-APC_1-1) ["*Cryptostylis subulata*"](https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/89052). Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 24 October 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Les Robinson - Field Guide to the Native Plants of Sydney, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-7318-1211-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7318-1211-0) page 245

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Jones_3-0)** Jones, David L. (2006). *A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories*. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. p. 269. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1877069124](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1877069124).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-plantnet_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-plantnet_4-1) Peter H. Weston. ["New South Wales Flora Online: *Cryptostylis subulata*"](http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Cryptostylis~subulata). Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney, Australia.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-NZPCN_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-NZPCN_5-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-NZPCN_5-2) ["*Cryptostylis subulata*"](http://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora_details.aspx?ID=725). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 15 January 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-APNI(1)_6-0)** ["*Malaxis subulata*"](https://id.biodiversity.org.au/instance/apni/462736). APNI. Retrieved 15 January 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Labill._7-0)** Labillardière, Jacques (1806). [*Novae Hollandiae Plantarum Specimen*](https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/40881977#page/62/mode/1up). Vol. 2. Paris. p. 62. Retrieved 15 January 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-APNI_8-0)** ["*Cryptostylis subulata*"](https://id.biodiversity.org.au/instance/apni/509951). APNI. Retrieved 15 January 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-RWB_9-0)** Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). *The Composition of Scientific Words*. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 113.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Pidgeon_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Pidgeon_10-1) Pridgeon, Alec M.; Cribb, P.J.; Chase, M.A.; Rasmussen, F., eds. (2001). [*Genera Orchidacearum 2*](https://books.google.com/books?id=jNFvwlGdTEcC&dq=cryptostylis&pg=PA118). Oxford University Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-19-850710-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-19-850710-0). Retrieved 22 November 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Robert L. Dressler (1993). [*Phylogeny and classification of the orchid family*](https://books.google.com/books?id=4_xL5qOVa-sC&dq=cryptostylis&pg=PA134). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. p. 134. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-521-45058-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-521-45058-6). Retrieved 22 November 2010.

Taxon identifiers Cryptostylis subulata Wikidata: Q5191071 Wikispecies: Cryptostylis subulata APNI: 89052 BOLD: 412883 CoL: 322WV eFloraSA: Cryptostylis_subulata EoL: 1092544 FoAO2: Cryptostylis subulata GBIF: 2806973 iNaturalist: 321092 IPNI: 624768-1 NCBI: 78739 NSWFlora: Cryptostylis~subulata NZOR: 7fd29437-96fc-40e4-9d4c-e64d8b8a3a39 NZPCN: 725 Open Tree of Life: 1073178 Plant List: kew-52186 POWO: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:624768-1 Species+: 28704 Tropicos: 50010336 VicFlora: a85cbb3f-50a9-42b9-977e-7b4a5c105c70 WFO: wfo-0000933401

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