ORCHIDACEAE

Robust Fingers (orchid)

Endangered 

0.2m - 0.35m (20-35cm) 

Flowers 1-3, bright pink internally, brownish pink externally, labellum white to pink with reddish bars, apex yellowish to orange, calli yellow, column green with broad red bars. 

Papery capsule 

Leaf narrowly linear, dark green, base reddish purple. Scape relatively thick, sparsley hairy. 

Dorset; Latrobe; Waratah-Wynyard 

Dry Eucalypt Forest and Woodland 

Tas. endemic. Eucalyptus amygdalina. forest with a shrubby understorey. 

Dry; Exposed; Exposed; Moist; Shady 

Moderate 

Clay; Loam; Poor; Sandy; Well-drained 

Its distribution is likely to be very restricted because of conversion of its habitat to forestry plantations. Not represented in reserves. Suitable below powerlines. 

 

Standard 

 

 

Orchid seeds are very minute yellow, brown or blackish dust-like particles. Orchid seeds are produced within a capsule that splits at maturity and releases tousands to millions of seeds. Dispersed by wind and water and only germinate following infection of the embryo by a suitable mycorrhizal fungus. Very few seeds become mature plants. For more information see Jones, Wapstra, Tonelli, Harris (1999): The Orchids of Tasmania.