Common name: Bird's-mouth Orchid
Orthoceras strictum R.Br. APNI* 
Description: Rigid erect herb, 20–60 cm high.
Leaves 2–5, linear to filiform, to 30 cm long and 3 mm wide, channelled, sheathing at the base.
Flowers 1–9, c. 10 mm diam., with large floral bracts, yellowish green, brownish or blackish, on a rigid, yellowish or blackish stem. Dorsal sepal broad-ovate, acute, 10–12 mm long. Lateral sepals 2–4 cm long, sometimes clubbed near the apex. Petals to 8 mm long, oblong, tips blunt or notched. Labellum 9–12 mm long, with a yellow central patch; midlobe decurved, with incurved margins, elliptic to ovate with a large callus at the base; lateral lobes to 5 mm long, narrow. Callus with 2 basal swellings and another at the base of the midlobe.
Flowering: late spring to summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Grows in moist to wet sites in open grassy habitats, west to Grenfell district.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC, NT, CT, ST, NWS, CWS
Other Australian states: Qld Vic. Tas. S.A.
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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