{{Short description|Species of orchid endemic to Western Australia}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Italic title}} {{Speciesbox | name = Glossy-leaved hammer orchid | image = Drakaea elastica - journal.pone.0059111.jpg | status = EN | status_system = EPBC | genus = Drakaea | species = elastica | authority = [[John Lindley|Lindl.]] (1840) | synonyms = }}
'''''Drakaea elastica''''', commonly known as '''glossy-leaved hammer orchid''' or '''praying virgin''' is a species of [[orchid]] [[Endemism|endemic]] to the south–west of [[Western Australia]]. It is similar to other [[Drakaea|hammer orchids]] in that it is [[Pollination|pollinated]] by a single species of male [[Thynnidae|thynnid]] [[wasp]] using sexual deception. The orchid's [[Labellum (botany)|labellum]] is similar in shape and scent to a flightless female thynnid wasp. The glossy-leaved hammer orchid was the first in the genus to be described. The species is only known from the far south-west of the state and has been declared "endangered" by both the Australian government and the government of Western Australia.
== Description == ''Drakaea elastica'' is similar to others in the genus in that it has a single, ground hugging leaf and an underground tuber. In this case, the leaf is heart shaped, about {{convert|20|mm|in|sigfig=1}} in diameter, [[glabrousness|glabrous]], light green and glossy. The leaf veins are slightly darker in colour. Leaves appear in July or August but by the time the flower has opened, the leaf is often withered.<ref name=environment>{{cite web|title=Glossy-leafed Hammer Orchid (Drakaea elastica) recovery plan|url=http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/f2fe52ea-343b-4fd2-9806-55e86d9b9d6c/files/drakaea-elastica.pdf|publisher=Government of Australia Department of the Environment|access-date=12 November 2015}}</ref> The stem is {{convert|12-30|cm|in|sigfig=2}} long and the stalk of the single flower is {{convert|10-12|mm|in|sigfig=1}} long.<ref name=Hopper>{{cite journal|last1=Hopper|first1=Stephen D.|last2=Brown|first2=Andrew P.|title=A revision of Australia' s hammer orchids (Drakaea: Orchidaceae), with some field data on species-specific sexually deceived wasp pollinators|journal=Australian Systematic Botany|date=2007|volume=20|issue=3|pages=262–264|doi=10.1071/SB06033}}</ref>
Its flower is also similar to those of other hammer orchids in that the labellum resembles a flightless female thynnid wasp, in this case ''[[Zaspilothynnus gilesi]]''.<ref name="PLoS ONE">{{cite journal|last1=Menz|first1=Myles H. M.|last2=Phillips|first2=Ryan D.|last3=Dixon|first3=Kingsley W.|last4=Peakall|first4=Rod|last5=Didham|first5=Raphael K.|last6=Chapman|first6=Maura Geraldine|title=Mate-Searching Behaviour of Common and Rare Wasps and the Implications for Pollen Movement of the Sexually Deceptive Orchids They Pollinate|journal=PLOS One|date=11 March 2013|volume=8|issue=3|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0059111|article-number=e59111|pmid=23536860|pmc=3594162|doi-access=free}}</ref> It can be distinguished from other species by its lack of a spine on the [[Column (botany)|column]]. The flowers of ''[[Drakaea glyptodon]]'' and ''[[Drakaea concolor]]'' also lack a spine but can be distinguished from this species by having a dark green leaf (''[[Drakaea concolor|D. concolor]]'') or distinct veins in the leaf (''[[Drakaea glyptodon|D. glyptodon]]''). The [[sepal]] at the back of the flower is {{convert|12-15|mm|in|sigfig=1}} long and the two at the sides are {{convert|12-14|mm|in|sigfig=1}}. The [[petals]] are also {{convert|12-14|mm|in|sigfig=1}} long. The insect-like labellum has a "head" about half as long as the "body" and is light coloured and hairy for most of it length. The rest of the labellum (representing the female "body" of the insect) is light green on the upper half, with a few scattered dark spots while the lower half is dark maroon. Flowers appear from late September to early November.<ref name="Hopper" />
== Taxonomy and naming == ''Drakaea elastica'' was first formally described by [[John Lindley]] in 1840 in ''[[A Sketch of the Vegetation of the Swan River Colony]]''.<ref name=APNI>{{cite web|title=Drakaea elastica|url=https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/name/apni/83694|publisher=APNI|access-date=12 November 2015}}</ref> Since then the name has been misapplied to other hammer orchids, including the more common one known as warty hammer orchid (''[[Drakaea livida]]'').<ref name="Hopper" /> The [[Botanical nomenclature|specific epithet]] (''elastica'') is derived from the [[Ancient Greek]] word ''elastikos'' meaning "elastic".<ref name="RWB">{{cite book|last1=Brown|first1=Roland Wilbur|title=The Composition of Scientific Words|date=1956|publisher=Smithsonian Institution Press|location=Washington, D.C.|page =467}}</ref>
== Distribution and habitat == The glossy-leaved hammer orchid is only known from the [[Cataby, Western Australia|Cataby]] and [[City of Busselton|Busselton]] districts in the [[Swan Coastal Plain]] biogeographic zone.<ref name="Hopper" /> It grows in deep sand in [[woodland]]<ref name="Hopper" /> in low-lying areas near temporary swamps.<ref name=flora>{{cite book|last1=Paczkowska|first1=Grazyna|last2=Chapman|first2=Alex R.|title=The Western Australian flora: a descriptive catalogue|date=2000|publisher=Wildflower Society of Western Australia|location=Perth|isbn=0-646-40243-9|page=85}}</ref><ref name=FloraBase>{{FloraBase|name=''Drakaea elastica''|id =1639}}</ref>
== Conservation == ''Drakaea elastica'' is known from 42 locations but most of these contain fewer than 15 plants and only one contains half of the known individual plants.<ref name=SPRAT>{{cite web|title=Drakaea elastica – Glossy-leafed Hammer-orchid, Praying Virgin SPRAT profile|url=http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=16753|publisher=Australian Government Department of the Environment|access-date=12 November 2015}}</ref> The Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife classifies the species as "threatened"<ref name="FloraBase" /> meaning that it is considered likely to become extinct, or rare and in need of special protection.<ref name=codes>{{cite web|title=Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna|url=https://www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/images/documents/plants-animals/threatened-species/Listings/Conservation%20code%20definitions.pdf|publisher=Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife|access-date=29 July 2019}}</ref> The Australian Government lists its status under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act as "vulnerable". The main threats to the species' survival include weed invasion, recurrent fire, dieback disease, rubbish dumping and illegal vehicle usage.<ref name="Hopper" />
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q15458800}}
[[Category:Drakaea|elastica]] [[Category:Orchids of Western Australia]] [[Category:Endemic orchids of Australia]] [[Category:Plants described in 1840]] [[Category:Endemic flora of Western Australia]]