Common name: Elbow Orchid
Arthrochilus huntianus (F.Muell.) Blaxell APNI* 
Description: Saprophytic terrestrial herb.
Leaves absent.
Inflorescence to 15 cm high, glabrous, with a few short loose bracts, to 10-flowered. Flowers bronzy to reddish green. Sepals and petals oblong-linear, c. 5 mm long, deflexing against the ovary. Labellum claw c. 6 mm long, narrow and rod-like with swollen base. Labellum lamina peltate to the claw; insectiform, 3-lobed, Lateral lobes forming long curved fringed tails projecting forward; the midlobe short and entire. Callus fringed with hairs, centre smooth to papillose, terminating in a short hump flanked by a pair of short calli with slender stalks and knobbed tips. Column foot c. 6 mm long, rod-like; column neck less than half the length of the foot, acutely retracted from its base. Column wings adjacent to anther curving, filiform; column wings on style sickle-shaped, linear to filiform. Stigma kidney-shaped.
Flowering: November–March
Distribution and occurrence: Grows in sclerophyll forest, from lowland to montane sites along shale and gravel ridges; chiefly on the ranges, south from the Blue Mtns, west to Carabost.
NSW subdivisions: CC, NT, CT, ST, SWS
Other Australian states: Vic.
Text by P. Bernhardt
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 4 (1993)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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