Thelymitra rubra

{{Short description|Species of orchid}} {{Speciesbox |name = Salmon sun orchid |image = Thelymitra rubra 220404.jpg |image_caption = ''Thelymitra rubra'' flower |genus = Thelymitra |species = rubra |authority = Fitzg.<ref name="APC">{{cite web |title=''Thelymitra rubra'' |url=https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/54817 |publisher=Australian Plant Census |access-date=2 December 2022}}</ref> |synonyms_ref = <ref name="APC" /> |synonyms = {{collapsible list| * ''Thelymitra carnea'' var. ''rubra'' (Fitzg.) J.Z.Weber & R.J.Bates * ''Thelymitra elizabethae'' F.Muell. * ''Thelymitra elizabethiae'' M.A.Clem. orth. var. * ''Thelymitra rubra'' var. ''magnanthera'' Rupp * ''Thelymitra rubra'' Fitzg. var. ''rubra'' * ''Thelymitra urnalis'' Fitzg. * ''Thelymitra winalis'' B.D.Jacks. orth. var. * ''Thelymitra carnea'' auct. non R.Br.: Rogers, R.S. in Black, J.M. (1922) * ''Thelymitra carnea'' auct. non R.Br.: Ewart, A.J. (1931) * ''Thelymitra luteocilium'' auct. non Fitzg.: Curtis, W.M. (1980) }} }}

'''''Thelymitra rubra''''', commonly called the '''salmon sun orchid''' or '''pink sun orchid''',<ref name="Jones" /> is a species of orchid endemic to southeastern Australia. It has a single thin, grass-like leaf and up to five salmon pink flowers with broad, toothed arms on the sides of the column. It is similar to ''T. carnea'' but the flowers are larger and the column arms are a different shape.

==Description== ''Thelymitra rubra'' is a tuberous, perennial herb with a single thin, channelled, green or purplish thread-like to linear leaf {{convert|80-200|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|3-5|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} wide. There are up to five salmon pink flowers {{convert|20-25|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} wide and are borne on a thin, wiry flowering stem {{convert|200-400|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} tall. The flowers are sometimes other shades of pink, rarely cream-coloured or very pale pink. The sepals and petals are {{convert|8-12|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|4-5|mm|in|sigfig=2|abbr=on}} wide. The column is cream-coloured to pinkish with a black, red or orange band near the top and is {{convert|4-5|mm|in|sigfig=2|abbr=on}} long and about {{convert|2.5|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} wide. The lobe on the top of the anther is short and brownish with a toothed tip. The side arms on the column are broad and yellow with finger-like edges. The flowers open on sunny days but are sometimes self-pollinating. Flowering occurs from September to November.<ref name="Jones">{{cite book|last1=Jones|first1=David L.|title=A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories|date=2006|publisher=New Holland|location=Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.|isbn=1877069124|page =248}}</ref><ref name="RBGV">{{cite web |last1=Weber |first1=Joseph Z. |last2=Entwisle |first2=Timothy J. |last3=Stajsic |first3=Val |title=''Thelymitra rubra'' |url=https://vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au/flora/taxon/790926e5-8ec2-4990-af63-076948d11bc9 |accessdate=31 May 2018 |website=VicFlora |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria}}</ref><ref name="efloraSA">{{cite web |title=''Thelymitra rubra'' |url=http://www.flora.sa.gov.au/cgi-bin/speciesfacts_display.cgi?form=speciesfacts&family=&genus=Thelymitra&species=rubra&iname=&submit=Display |accessdate=31 May 2018 |website=Electronic Flora of South Australia |publisher=State Herbarium of South Australia}}</ref>

This species of sun orchid is similar to ''T. carnea'' but can be distinguished from that species by its larger flowers, salmon pink (rather than bright pink) colouration, and fringed column arms.<ref name="RBGV" /><ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Jeanes |first=Jeffrey |title=Wild Orchids of Victoria, Australia |last2=Backhouse |first2=Gary |publisher=Aquatic Photographics |year=2006 |isbn=0-9775372-0-X |pages=194 |language=en}}</ref>

==Taxonomy and naming== ''Thelymitra rubra'' was first formally described in 1882 by Robert Fitzgerald and the description was published in ''The Gardeners' Chronicle''.<ref name=APNI>{{cite web|title=''Thelymitra rubra''|url= https://id.biodiversity.org.au/instance/apni/456649|publisher=Australian Plant Names Index|accessdate=31 May 2018}}</ref><ref name="Fitzg.">{{cite journal |last1=Fitzgerald |first1=Robert D. |title=New Australian Orchids |journal=The Gardeners' Chronicle |date=1882 |volume=17 (new series) |page=495 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25598367#page/513/mode/1up |access-date=2 December 2022}}</ref> The specific epithet (''rubra'') is a Latin word meaning "red".<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=651}}</ref>

==Distribution and habitat== The salmon sun orchid grows in forest, heath and coastal scrub. It occurs in southern New South Wales, south-eastern South Australia and in Tasmania but is most widespread and common in all but the north-west of Victoria. Tasmanian specimens usually have a few hair-like strands on the sides of the column.<ref name="Jones" /><ref name="RBGV" /><ref name="efloraSA" /><ref name="AOR">{{cite journal |last1=Jones |first1=David L. |title=Contributions to Tasmanian Orchidology |journal=Australian Orchid Research |date=1998 |volume=3 |pages=194–195}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{commons-inline|Thelymitra rubra|''Thelymitra rubra''}}

rubra Category:Endemic orchids of Australia Category:Orchids of New South Wales Category:Orchids of South Australia Category:Orchids of Victoria (state) Category:Orchids of Tasmania Category:Plants described in 1882 Category:Taxa named by William Vincent Fitzgerald