The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Corybas hatchii

Etymology

Corybas: helmet flower
hatchii: after Hatch

Common Name(s)

Spider 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

Corybas hatchii Lehnebach

Family

Orchidaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

NEMLON

Structural Class

Orchids

Synonyms

Corybas macranthus var. longipetalus Hatch, Corybas longipetalus Hatch nom. inval., nom. illeg.; Nematoceras longipetalum (Hatch) Molloy, D.L.Jones et M.A.Clem.

Distribution

Endemic. North and South Islands - mainly in the west

Habitat

Lowland to subalpine (up to 1200 m a.s.l.). Favouring damp, well-lighted to shady seepages that have developed over base-rich substrates such as calcaerous mudstones, siltstones, limestones, basalt, basaltic andesites, and andesitic tephra.

Features

Colonial, terrestrial, tuberous, glabrous, late winter to summer-green herb. Tuberoids globose to ellipsoid on extended roots. Plant at flowering to 60 mm tall. Leaf solitary, fleshy, shortly petiolate, 5-10 mm long; lamina 15-28 x 11-20 mm long, oval, orbicular, sometimes pandurate, apiculate, rounded to cordate at base; green to yellow green, margins and sometimes whole of upper surface flecked with purple or red, underside silvery, pellucid. Flower erect, large for plant, (16)-20(-23) mm long, held well above and back from leaf, mostly translucent white or red, rarely green, usually with much red or purple streaking and flecks, these colourings merging and darkening to maroon toward the back of flower; peduncle short and stout, 2.5-4.2 mm long. Ovary 6.2-8.3 mm long, narrowly oblong, yellow-green or cream, ridged, erect or slightly curving back from leaf; subtended by two unequal floral bracts, the smaller projecting toward leaf, 1.3-2.0 mm long or vestigial, linear-subulate, terete, pale green to cream, rarely spotted or flecked with crimson, the larger equal to normally exceeding the ovary, (6.0-)8.8(-11.0) mm long, lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, curved, deeply keeled and closely sheathing ovary for about one third of length, apex acute; green, or yellow-green, rarely flecked or striped with purple or red. Dorsal sepal membranous, more or less equal to labellum length 18-24 mm long, translucent white or pale greenish striped and flecked with purple-red or red, lanceolate-acuminate, apex acute, initially erect then arched forwards, and/or very slightly downwards; lateral sepals and petals 25-30(-40) mm long, filiform, forward projecting in an almost parallel alignment, greatly exceeding labellum, translucent to cream, more or less flecked with red, held well above leaf. Labellum conspicuous, initially dark maroon, soon grading through to translucent green or cream, with weak to prominent purple-red or red stripes, then flecks or spots, auriculate at base; labellum tube 1.5-2.0 mm long, curving backwards and then abruptly deflexed at c. 90 degrees and expanding into a rapidly broadening lamina; lamina (15-)20(-23) x (6-)10(-20) mm, obtuse when flattened, upper margins more or less folded inwards, upper quarter more or less overlapping, otherwise widely spreading and flared shallowly grooved; apex usually held well back from leaf; margins initially entire, becoming finely denticulate to more or less erose on either side, and with a short down-curved apiculus; apiculus not touching leaf. Seeding peduncle up to 180 mm tall. Capsule narrowly ovoid up to 15 mm long.

Similar Taxa

Part of the Corybas rivularis complex from, which it is distinguished by its generally translucent or red flower, and very long, forward projecting lateral sepals and petals which are more or less aligned in parallel. The petals are also more or less as long as the lateral sepals. It is perhaps closest to C. papa from which it differs by the shortly petiolate rather than sessile leaf; usually translucent to red flowers (very occasionally greenish), rather than mostly green; forward projecting rather than widely spreading lateral sepals and petals; preference for higher altitude habitats; and also by its usually later (up to 8 weeks later) flowering time.

Flowering

July - November

Flower Colours

Red / Pink,White

Fruiting

October - January

Propagation Technique

Difficult - should not be removed from the wild.

Threats

Not Threatened

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

This page last updated on 16 Jan 2016