The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Chiloglottis valida

Common Name(s)

Bird Orchid, Ant Orchid

Current Conservation Status

2012 - Non Resident Native - Vagrant

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 - Non Resident Native - Vagrant
2004 - Non Resident Native - Vagrant

Qualifiers

2012 - SO
2009 - SO

Authority

Chiloglottis valida D.L.Jones

Family

Orchidaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

Structural Class

Orchids

Synonyms

Simpliglottis valida (D.L.Jones) Szlach.

Distribution

Indigenous, known in the North Island from Iwitahi Forest, and in the South Island from Richmond Forest, Hanmer Springs and Fiordland

Habitat

In New Zealand known from old plantation forests at Iwitahi and Hanmer in stands dominated by Pinus nigra Arnold where it has been found in dense colonies amongst drifts of semi-rotted pine needles. Also recorded from the Richmond Range and Fiordland National park where it was found growing mossy logs and leaf litter within mixed beech (Nothofagus) forest.

Features

Terrestrial orchid forming diffuse to dense leaf patches in shaded forests amongst leaf litter and amongst mosses. Flowering plants 40-100 mm tall. Leaves petiolate, 20-50(-100) x 9-30 mm, dark green above, paler beneath, broadly elliptic, margin entire. Flower solitary, greenish-purple to purple-brown; dorsal sepal 19-25 mm long, erect, incurved, broadly obovate-spathulate; lateral sepals 16-22 mm long, erect in basal 1/2 then recurved, divergent or parallel, broadest near the base, tapering to apex; petals 16-20 mm long, incurved or weakly divergent, asymmetrically ovate-lanceolate. Labellum on short claw, 13-16 mm long, broadly ovate-cordate; calli black, glossy, in central proximal 2/3 of lamina; main central gland stalked, erect and curved forwards, flanke dby 1-3(-4) pairs of calli (sometimes sparse present or absent), the basal ones stalked, others sessile, apical gland sessile. Column widely winged in upper half, wing as = to or > than anther. Capsule rarely produced in New Zealand plants unless hand fertilised, ellipsoid 10-20 mm long, held well above plant on greatly elongated peduncle.

Similar Taxa

Chiloglottis cornuta is somewhat similar but is a much smaller plant with green flowers. The labellum of that species is strongly deltoid. Unlike S. valida which is strictly insect-pollinated, and whose pollination vector is apparently absent in New Zealand, C. cornuta is predominantly selfing, so it freely produces capsules. Both species may be found growing together.

Flowering

October - December

Flower Colours

Green,Violet / Purple

Fruiting

January-February (rarely seen in New Zealand populations)

Propagation Technique

Easily grown in a cool, moist, deep, well drained, gritty soil, mulched with well rotted pine needles and bark. Does better in dappled light than full sun. An attractive species which flowers readily in cultivation.

Threats

Plant collectors and logging of plantation forestry pose the major threats to this species. In both cases neither threat is major because the few accessible sites are well guarded by members of the New Zealand Native Orchid Group. This species does not readily set seed in New Zealand because its insect-pollination vector is apparently absent. However, occasional capsules are formed, and people have hand-pollinated some plants at Iwitahi. Nevertheless the bulk of the wild populations are clonal and the lack of sexual reproductive is the main threat, and also the main reason why it is listed as a vagrant.

Chromosome No.

2n = 40

Endemic Taxon

No

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

This page last updated on 6 Dec 2014