Acianthus collinus

D.L.Jones Hooded Mosquito-orchid
New Taxa Austral. Orchid. (Austral. Orchid Res. 2): 6 (1991)
Taxonomic status Accepted
Occurrence status Present
Origin Native
Degree of establishment Native
Threat status
FFG: Critically Endangered (CR)

Flowering plant 6–15 cm tall. Leaf cordate, thin, 1.5–3.5 cm long, 1.5–3 cm wide, green above, reddish-purple beneath, entire or sometimes shallowly lobed. Flowers 2–9, translucent pink with a dark purple-red labellum; pedicel (including ovary) 5–8 mm long, subtended by small bract; dorsal sepal ovate, cucullate, 6–8 mm long, including apical point 1–2 mm long, usually slightly warty on upper surface; lateral sepals projected obliquely forwards, usually crossed, linear to linear-lanceolate, 7–11 mm long, apical point 1–2 mm long; petals spreading widely, linear-ovate to lanceolate, 3–5 mm long. Labellum on short claw, slightly decurved distally, cordate, 5–6 mm long, 3–4 mm wide, distal margins recurved to revolute, finely toothed, apex with short point; callus thick, fleshy, densely tuberculate towards the apex. Column incurved, almost terete, not winged. Flowers Jun.–Aug.

CVU, NIS. Also NSW, ACT. Open forests on well-drained sandy or clay loam soils.

Currently known in Victoria by a few small populations in north-east Victoria in the Wangaratta-Chiltern area.

Created by: Jeff Jeanes, 15 Aug. 2014
Updated by: Val Stajsic, 15 Feb. 2018
Acianthus collinus (hero image) Spinning
Acianthus collinus (distribution map) Spinning