Plectorrhiza beckleri (F.Muell. ex Benth.) M.A.Clem., D.L.Jones & D.P.Banks APNI* Synonyms: Papillilabium beckleri (F.Muell. ex Benth.) Dockrill APNI*
Description: Epiphyte with 1 shoot, often suspended by 1 or a few of the numerous, tangled, aerial roots; stems 0.2–4 cm long.
Leaves oblanceolate to linear, 1.2–5 cm long, 2–4.5 mm wide, green, often with purple spotting.
Inflorescence 0.5–4.5 cm long, 1–8-flowered, pendent; pedicel plus ovary 3–6 mm long. Flowers cupped, intensely fragrant; dorsiventral dimension of flower greater than lateral dimension. Sepals and lateral petals c. 3 mm long, green, sometimes with purple or crimson markings; sepals narrow-oblong to ovate; petals linear. Labellum white to green, sometimes with purple markings; midlobe 0.3–0.5 mm long, deeply 2-fid; lateral lobes c. 1 mm long, broadly falcate-triangular; spur 2–2.5 mm long, slightly curved. Column c. 1.5 mm long; foot 2–2.5 mm long.
Flowering: September–November
Distribution and occurrence: Grows in rainforest, especially along creeks, on the outer twigs of trees; north from Royal N.P., on the coast and coastal ranges, from sea level to c. 600 m alt.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC
Other Australian states: Qld
Text by P. H. Weston, updated by M.A.M. Renner (Oct 2019). 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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