The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Thelymitra hatchii

Etymology

Thelymitra: woman's hat
hatchii: after Hatch

Common Name(s)

Hatch's Sun Orchid

Current Conservation Status

2012 - Not Threatened

Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2012 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2009 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, Paul D. Champion, Shannel P. Courtney, Peter B. Heenan, John W. Barkla, Ewen K. Cameron, David A. Norton and Rodney A. Hitchmough. File size: 792KB

Previous Conservation Status

2009 - Not Threatened
2004 - Not Threatened

Authority

Thelymitra hatchii L.B.Moore

Family

Orchidaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

THEHAT

Structural Class

Orchids

Synonyms

Thelymitra pachyphylla sensu Hatch

Distribution

Endemic. North, South and Stewart Islands.

Habitat

Coastal to subalpine (up to 1300 m a.s.l.). Only coastal in southern part of range. Favouring clay banks, gravel, and open clay pans. Often in short scrub or fringing peat bogs and tarns. Preferring well lighted places.

Features

Terrestrial, tuberous, glabrous, spring to summer-green perennial herb, forming dense colonies of 4-20 plants arising through vegetative extension. Plants dark reddish-green, stiffly erect, at flower up to 600 mm tall. Leaf solitary, erect, very fleshy to almost fleshy-coriaceous, deeply channelled and prominently ribbed longitudinally, 100-300 x 7-15 mm, dark reddish-green to reddish brown, broadly lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, strongly v-shaped in cross section, distinctly keeled, base closely sheathing. Inflorescence a (3-)6(-8)-flowered raceme borne on a dark reddish-green to reddish brown stout, wiry stem. Bracts 1-2(-3), foliaceous, closely-sheathing, fleshy, of similar colour to stem and leaf. Flower 15-20 mm diameter, usually pale to deep mauve sometimes pink, without stripes or spots. Sepals, petals and labellum fairly similar; sepals acutely elliptic, petals elliptic. Column robust, up to 8 mm tall, erect, sometimes with a small basal triangular process, initially white soon grading to dark mauve, then dark reddish brown near apex; post anther lobe tall, overtopping anther at least at sides, erect, truncate, more or less coarsely laciniate or denticulate but not thickened, inrolled or cucullate, sometimes obliquely forming a deep cleft at back, often terminating in two sharply acute points, usually dark red toward apex, margin more or less yellow; column arms terete to plano-convex in cross section; cilia copious, prominent, usually yellow to pale yellow, more rarely white or pink, arising from sides, back and top of arm, standing erect and overtopping post-anther lobe.

Similar Taxa

A distinctive species easily recognised by the dark reddish green foliage and stem; fleshy to fleshy-coriaceous, erect prominently keeled and v-shaped leaf; usually 6 flowered racemes; dark mauve flowers; dark reddish brown post anther lobe with a yellow, jagged margin, and column arms bearing copious, coarse, usually yellow cilia.

Flowering

November - March

Flower Colours

Red / Pink,Violet / Purple

Fruiting

December - April

Propagation Technique

Very easily grown in a sunny, well drained site. Often naturalises in gardens within urban areas abutting indigenous vegetation. Although easily cultivated, like all orchids it should not be removed from the wild.

Threats

Not Threatened. Abundant throughout its range.

Chromosome No.

2n = 66

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

This page last updated on 19 Jan 2014