# Drakaea micrantha

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Species of orchid endemic to Western Australia

Dwarf hammer orchid Conservation status Vulnerable (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. micrantha Binomial name Drakaea micrantha Hopper & A.P.Br. (2007)

***Drakaea micrantha***, commonly known as the **dwarf hammer orchid**, is a species of [orchid](/source/Orchid) [endemic](/source/Endemism) to the [south–west](/source/Southwest_Australia) of [Western Australia](/source/Western_Australia). It is similar to other [hammer orchids](/source/Drakaea) in that 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 has a single silvery-grey, heart-shaped leaf with prominent green veins and a stem up to 30 centimetres (12 in) long. The species is only known from a scattered populations in the south west of the state and has been declared "vulnerable" by the Australian government and "threatened" by the government of Western Australia.

## Description

*Drakaea micrantha* 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 10 millimetres (0.4 in) in diameter, silvery-grey dark green and rather glossy with darker green veins radiating from the leaf attachment. The stem is 15–30 centimetres (6–10 in) long and the stalk of the single flower is 10–15 millimetres (0.4–0.6 in) long.[1]

Its flower is also similar to those of other hammer orchids in that the labellum resembles a flightless female thynnid wasp however it can be distinguished by having a spine on the [column](/source/Column_(botany)), and a labellum with a straight end and a narrow "neck". The [sepal](/source/Sepal) at the back of the flower is 7–10 millimetres (0.3–0.4 in) long and the two at the sides are 6–9 millimetres (0.2–0.4 in). The [petals](/source/Petals) are also 6–9 millimetres (0.2–0.4 in) long. The insect-like labellum has a head about half as long as the body and is hairy for at least half its length. The "body" of the labellum is dark-coloured, slightly swollen and has a few hairs. Flowers appear in September and October.[1]

## Taxonomy and naming

*Drakaea micrantha* 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)*.[2] The [specific epithet](/source/Botanical_nomenclature) (*micrantha*) is derived from the [Ancient Greek](/source/Ancient_Greek) *μικρός (mikrós)* meaning "small" or "little"[3]: 488 and *ἄνθος (ánthos)* meaning "flower",[3]: 338 referring to the flower of this species being the smallest of the genus.[1]

## Distribution and habitat

The dwarf hammer orchid occurs at [Perth](/source/Perth), [Augusta](/source/Augusta%2C_Western_Australia) and [Porongurup National Park](/source/Porongurup_National_Park)[1] It grows in bare sand in [woodland](/source/Woodland), often near *[Kunzea glabrescens](/source/Kunzea_glabrescens)* thickets.[1][4][5]

## Conservation

*Drakaea micrantha* is known from 32 small, scattered populations and the total population of mature plants was estimated in 2007 to be about 514.[6][7] The Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife classifies the species as "threatened"[5] meaning that it is considered likely to become extinct, or rare and in need of special protection.[8] The Australian Government lists its status under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act as "vulnerable". The main threat to the species' survival is fire during its growing and flowering stages between June and early October.[1][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) [***e***](#cite_ref-Hopper_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-Hopper_1-5) 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): 278–280. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1071/SB06033](https://doi.org/10.1071%2FSB06033).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-APNI_2-0)** ["Drakaea micrantha"](https://id.biodiversity.org.au/instance/apni/646621). APNI. Retrieved 15 October 2017.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-RWB_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-RWB_3-1) Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). *The Composition of Scientific Words*. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-flora_4-0)** 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. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FloraBase_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FloraBase_5-1) ["*Drakaea micrantha*"](https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/13635). *[FloraBase](/source/FloraBase)*. Western Australian Government [Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions](/source/Department_of_Biodiversity%2C_Conservation_and_Attractions).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-environment(1)_6-0)** ["Approved Conservation Advice for Drakaea micrantha (Dwarf Hammer-orchid)"](http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/species/pubs/81853-conservation-advice.pdf) (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of the Environment. Retrieved 14 November 2015.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-SPRAT_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-SPRAT_7-1) ["Drakaea micrantha — Dwarf Hammer-orchid SPRAT Profile"](http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=56755). Government of Western Australia Department of the Environment. Retrieved 14 November 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-codes_8-0)** ["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.

Taxon identifiers Drakaea micrantha Wikidata: Q15459435 Wikispecies: Drakaea micrantha APNI: 219745 CoL: 37L9J EoL: 5950127 FloraBase: 13635 FoAO2: Drakaea micrantha GBIF: 2833963 iNaturalist: 636320 IPNI: 77084180-1 NCBI: 1048780 Open Tree of Life: 3970182 Plant List: kew-346747 POWO: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77084180-1 Species+: 22861 SPRAT: 56755 Tropicos: 100183330 WFO: wfo-0000808512

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