# Drakaea isolata

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Species of orchid endemic to Western Australia

Drakaea isolata Immature and mature leaves of Drakaea isolata Conservation status Endangered (EPBC Act) Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae Clade: Embryophytes Clade: Tracheophytes Clade: Spermatophytes Clade: Angiosperms Clade: Monocots Order: Asparagales Family: Orchidaceae Subfamily: Orchidoideae Tribe: Diurideae Genus: Drakaea Species: D. isolata Binomial name Drakaea isolata Hopper & A.P.Br. (2007)

***Drakaea isolata***, commonly known as **lonely hammer orchid**, is a species of [orchid](/source/Orchid) [endemic](/source/Endemism) to the south–west of [Western Australia](/source/Western_Australia). It is [pollinated](/source/Pollination) by a single species of male [thynnid](/source/Thynnidae) [wasp](/source/Wasp) using sexual deception. The orchid's [labellum](/source/Labellum_(botany)) is similar in shape and scent to a flightless female thynnid wasp. It is known from only one population and has been declared "endangered" by the Australian government and "threatened" by the government of Western Australia. It was first collected in 1984 by Robert J. Bates. No other *[Drakaea](/source/Drakaea)* species is found it the same area but the broad-billed duck orchid (*[Paracaleana triens](/source/Paracaleana_triens)*) is found nearby.

## Description

*Drakaea isolata* 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 12 millimetres (0.5 in) in diameter and is often withered by the time the flower opens. The leaf is covered with tiny lumps or short hairs, blue-grey with darker lines radiating from the attachment to the stem. The stem is 10–30 centimetres (4–10 in) long and the stalk of the single flower is 10–15 millimetres (0.4–0.6 in) long.[1]

The flower is also similar to those of other hammer orchids in that the labellum resembles a flightless female thynnid wasp, except that in this species the [column](/source/Column_(botany)) is pointed, the labellum lacks an upturned end and the main body of the labellum has long hairs and a longer narrow "neck". The [sepal](/source/Sepal) at the back of the flower is 8–12 millimetres (0.3–0.5 in) long and the two at the sides are 6–8 millimetres (0.2–0.3 in). The [petals](/source/Petals) are also 6–8 millimetres (0.2–0.3 in) long. The insect-like labellum has a "head" about one-third long as the "body" and has a pair of dark projections near its base . The rest of the labellum (representing the female "body" of the insect) is dark maroon in colour, [glabrous](/source/Glabrousness) and not swollen as in *[Drakaea glyptodon](/source/Drakaea_glyptodon)*. The flower is similar to that of *[Drakaea confluens](/source/Drakaea_confluens)* but is smaller and more uniform in colour. Flowers appear from September to the middle of October.[1][2]

## Taxonomy and naming

*Drakaea isolata* was first formally described by [Stephen Hopper](/source/Stephen_Hopper) and Andrew Brown in 2007. Their description was published in *[Australian Systematic Botany](/source/Australian_Systematic_Botany)*.[3] The [specific epithet](/source/Botanical_nomenclature) (*isolata*) is a [Latin](/source/Latin) word meaning "isolated" in reference to this species of hammer orchid being found well away from others.[1]

## Distribution and habitat

Lonely hammer orchid occurs near [Pingrup](/source/Pingrup%2C_Western_Australia)[1] in the [Mallee](/source/Mallee_(biogeographic_region)) biogeographic region[4] where it grows in sand near a salt lake.[5]

## Conservation

The Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife classifies the species as "threatened"[4] meaning that it is considered likely to become extinct, or rare and in need of special protection.[6] In 2003, the entire population of the species was estimated to be about 75 mature plants and a number of immature ones.[2] The Australian Government lists its status under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act as "endangered". The main threats to the species' survival are road and track maintenance, airborne dust, changes to groundwater levels and inappropriate fire regimes.[7]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Hopper_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Hopper_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Hopper_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Hopper_1-3) Hopper, Stephen D.; Brown, Andrew P. (2007). "A revision of Australia' s hammer orchids (Drakaea: Orchidaceae), with some field data on species-specific sexually deceived wasp pollinators". *Australian Systematic Botany*. **20** (3): 273–275. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1071/SB06033](https://doi.org/10.1071%2FSB06033).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-DPAW(1)_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-DPAW(1)_2-1) Phillimore, Robyn; Stack, Gillian; Brown, Andrew. ["Lonely hammer orchid (Drakaea isolata ms.) interim recovery plant (2000-2003)"](http://www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/images/documents/plants-animals/threatened-species/recovery_plans/Approved_interim_recovery_plans_/dra_iso_irp81.pdf) (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 13 November 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-APNI_3-0)** ["Drakaea isolata"](https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/name/apni/219744). APNI. Retrieved 13 November 2015.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FloraBase_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FloraBase_4-1) ["*Drakaea isolata*"](https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/15406). *[FloraBase](/source/FloraBase)*. Western Australian Government [Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions](/source/Department_of_Biodiversity%2C_Conservation_and_Attractions).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-flora_5-0)** Paczkowska, Grazyna; Chapman, Alex R. (2000). *The Western Australian flora : a descriptive catalogue*. Perth: Wildflower Society of Western Australia. p. 85. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0646402439](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0646402439).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-codes_6-0)** ["Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna"](https://www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/images/documents/plants-animals/threatened-species/Listings/Conservation%20code%20definitions.pdf) (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 29 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-environment_7-0)** ["Drakaea isolata — Lonely Hammer-orchid SPRAT Profile"](http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=64669). Government of Australia Department of the Environment. Retrieved 13 November 2015.

Taxon identifiers Drakaea isolata Wikidata: Q15459234 Wikispecies: Drakaea isolata APNI: 219744 CoL: 37L9G EoL: 5950128 FloraBase: 13828 FoAO2: Drakaea isolata GBIF: 2833952 iNaturalist: 636317 IPNI: 77084179-1 Open Tree of Life: 3970179 Plant List: kew-346746 POWO: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77084179-1 Species+: 23582 SPRAT: 64669 Tropicos: 100183328 WFO: wfo-0000808511

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