Drakaea elastica
| Glossy-leaved hammer orchid | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
| Tribe: | Diurideae |
| Subtribe: | Drakaeinae |
| Genus: | Drakaea |
| Species: | D. elastica |
| Binomial name | |
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Drakaea elastica Lindl. (1840) |
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Drakaea elastica, commonly known as glossy-leaved hammer orchid or praying virgin is a species of orchid endemic to the south–west of Western Australia. It is similar to other hammer orchids in that it is pollinated by a single species of male thynnid wasp using sexual deception. The orchid's labellum is similar in shape and scent to a flightless female thynnid wasp. The glossy-leaved hammer orchid was the first in the genus to be described. The species is only known from the far south-west of the state and has been declared "endangered" by both the Australian government and the government of Western Australia.
Drakaea elastica is similar to others in the genus in that it has a single, ground hugging leaf and an underground tuber. In this case, the leaf is heart shaped, about 20 millimetres (0.8 in) in diameter, glabrous, light green and glossy. The leaf veins are slightly darker in colour. Leaves appear in July or August but by the time the flower has opened, the leaf is often withered. The stem is 12–30 centimetres (4.7–12 in) long and the stalk of the single flower is 10–12 millimetres (0.4–0.5 in) long.
Its flower is also similar to those of other hammer orchids in that the labellum resembles a flightless female thynnid wasp, in this case Zaspilothynnus gilesi. It can be distinguished from other species by its lack of a spine on the column. The flowers of Drakaea glyptodon and Drakaea concolor also lack a spine but can be distinguished from this species by having a dark green leaf (D. concolor) or distinct veins in the leaf (D. glyptodon). The sepal at the back of the flower is 12–15 millimetres (0.5–0.6 in) long and the two at the sides are 12–14 millimetres (0.5–0.6 in). The petals are also 12–14 millimetres (0.5–0.6 in) long. The insect-like labellum has a "head" about half as long as the "body" and is light coloured and hairy for most of it length. The rest of the labellum (representing the female "body" of the insect) is light green on the upper half, with a few scattered dark spots while the lower half is dark maroon. Flowers appear from late September to early November.
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Wikipedia