Lyperanthus

{{Short description|Genus of orchids}} {{Automatic taxobox | image = Lyperanthus serratus (02).JPG | image_caption = Rattle beaks (''[[Lyperanthus serratus|L. serratus]]'') | display_parents = 2 | taxon = Lyperanthus | authority = [[R.Br.]]<ref name="APC">{{cite web |title=''Lyperanthus'' |url=https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/100842|publisher=Australian Plant Census |access-date=24 October 2025}}</ref> }}

'''''Lyperanthus''''', commonly known as '''beak orchids''', is a [[genus]] of [[flowering plant]]s from the orchid [[Family (taxonomy)|family]], [[Orchidaceae]], that is [[Endemism|endemic]] to Australia. There are two species, one in [[Western Australia]] and the other in four eastern Australian states, distinguished by their single long, narrow, leathery leaf and dull coloured flowers which have prominent short [[Labellum (botany)|calli]] on their [[Labellum (botany)|labellum]]. Both form loose colonies which reproduce asexually from their [[tuber]]s, and sexually using their flowers.

==Description== Orchids in the genus ''Lyperanthus'' are terrestrial, [[Perennial plant|perennial]], [[deciduous]], [[sympodial]] herbs usually with a few inconspicuous, fine roots and an oval-shaped, [[tuber]] lacking a protective [[Tunica (biology)|sheath]]. Each year, new tubers develop on the ends of long, root-like [[stolon]]s. There is a single, erect, leathery, stiff, linear to lance-shaped leaf, {{convert|12-40|cm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long, {{convert|12-15|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} wide with tiny pimple-like [[Gland (botany)|glands]] on the lower surface. The distinctive leaf protruding though surrounding vegetation is often the first part of the orchid apparent to the observer.<ref name="Hoffman">{{cite book|last1=Hoffman|first1=Noel|last2=Brown|first2=Andrew|title=Orchids of South-West Australia.|date=2011|publisher=Noel Hoffman|location=Gooseberry Hill|isbn=9780646562322|pages=262–263|edition=3rd}}</ref><ref name="Orchids">{{cite book|last1=Pridgeon (ed.)|first1=Alec M.|last2=Cribb (ed.)|first2=Phillip J.|last3=Chase (ed.)|first3=Mark W.|last4=Rasmussen (ed.)|first4=Finn|title=Genera Orchidacearum, Volume 2, Orchidoideae (part 1)|date=2001|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Oxford, England|isbn=0198507100|pages=162–165}}</ref><ref name=FloraBase>{{FloraBase|name=''Lyperanthus''|id=21286}}</ref><ref name="RBGS">{{cite web|last1=Bernhardt|first1=Peter|title=''Lyperanthus''|url=http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Lyperanthus~suaveolens|publisher=Royal Botanic Garden Sydney: plantnet|accessdate=2 July 2016}}</ref>

The [[inflorescence]] is a [[raceme]] with from one to eight [[Resupination#Orchidaceae|resupinate]] flowers on an erect stem up to {{convert|50|cm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} high. Each flower has a sheathing [[bract]] around its short stalk and is brownish, reddish and green. The [[wikt:dorsal|dorsal]] [[sepal]] is lance-shaped, about {{convert|2|cm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long and forms a hood over and close to the [[Column (botany)|column]]. The two [[wikt:lateral|lateral]] sepals are similar to the two [[petal]]s, stiff and leathery, about {{convert|3|cm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long, narrow and with their edges often rolled inwards. The petals usually spread widely while the sepals hang downwards. As is usual in orchids, one [[petal]] is highly modified as the central [[Labellum (botany)|labellum]]. The labellum is separated from the sepals and other petals, its base attached to the base of the [[Column (botany)|column]]. It is {{convert|9-10|mm|in|sigfig=2|abbr=on}} long, gently curved in a semi-circle, with three lobes, the central one egg-shaped to oval with its base surrounding the column. Most of the labellum is crowded with rows of rounded or erect calli. The sexual parts of the flower are fused to the column which is about {{convert|7|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long and has narrow wings along its length. Flowering occurs from August to November, depending somewhat on species and the fruit which follows is a non-fleshy, [[Dehiscence (botany)|dehiscent]] [[Capsule (botany)|capsule]] containing up to 500 seeds.<ref name="Hoffman" /><ref name="Orchids" /><ref name="FloraBase" /><ref name="RBGS" />[[File:Lyperanthus correct labels.001.jpg|thumb|225px|Labelled image]]

==Taxonomy and naming== The genus ''Lyperanthus'' was first formally described in 1810 by [[Robert Brown (Scottish botanist from Montrose)|Robert Brown]] and the description was published in ''[[Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae]]''.<ref name=APNI>{{cite web|title=''Lyperanthus''|url= https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/instance/apni/528077|publisher=APNI|accessdate=2 July 2016}}</ref><ref name="R.Br.">{{cite book|last1=Brown|first1=Robert|title=Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae|date=1810|location=London|page=325|url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/21771#page/195/mode/1up|accessdate=2 July 2016}}</ref> The botanical name ''Lyperanthus'' is derived from the [[Ancient Greek]] words ''lypros'' meaning "poor" or "wretched"<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.}}</ref>{{rp|501}} and ''anthos'' meaning "flower",<ref name="RWB" />{{rp|54}} referring to the dull-coloured flowers of this species.<ref name="Orchids" />

==Ecology== The pollination mechanism of the two species of ''Lyperanthus'' is not known but ''L. suaveolens'' is strongly fragrant in warm weather and both species have nectar, indicating that they may be pollinated by bees. Unlike many Western Australian orchid species, these two do not require fire to induce flowering.<ref name="Hoffman" /><ref name="Orchids" />

==Species== There are two species in the genus:

*''[[Lyperanthus serratus]]'' [[John Lindley|Lindl.]] – "rattle beaks" (Western Australia) *''[[Lyperanthus suaveolens]]'' R.Br. – "brown beaks" ([[New South Wales]], [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], [[Queensland]], and [[Tasmania]]).<ref name="RBGS" />

Species with new names include: * ''Lyperanthus antarcticus'' Hook.f. now ''[[Waireia stenopetala]]'' ([[Joseph Dalton Hooker|Hook.f.]]) D.L.Jones, M.A.Clem. & Molloy – beak orchid (New Zealand) * ''Lyperanthus ellipticus'' R.Br. now ''[[Rimacola elliptica]]'' (R.Br.) [[Herman Rupp|Rupp]] ([[New South Wales]]) * ''Lyperanthus forrestii'' F.Muell. now ''[[Pyrorchis forrestii]]'' ([[Ferdinand von Mueller|F.Muell.]]) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. (Western Australia) * ''Lyperanthus nigricans'' R.Br. now ''[[Pyrorchis nigricans]]'' (R.Br.) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. (Australia and New Zealand)<ref>{{cite web|title=Australian orchid genera: current species list|url=http://www.anbg.gov.au/cpbr/cd-keys/orchidkey/html/currentspecies.html|publisher=Australian national botanic gardens: Centre for Australian national biodiversity research|accessdate=26 January 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Clements|first1=Mark A.|last2=Jones|first2=David L.|title=Australian orchid name index|url=http://www.anbg.gov.au/cpbr/cd-keys/orchidkey/html/AustralianOrchidNameIndex.pdf|publisher=Australian National Botanic Gardens|accessdate=26 January 2015}}</ref>

==See also== * [[List of Orchidaceae genera]]

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

*{{Commons-inline|italic=1}} *{{Wikispecies-inline|Lyperanthus|''Lyperanthus''}}

[[Category:Lyperanthus| ]] [[Category:Diurideae genera]] [[Category:Orchids of Australia]]