Scientific Name: Corunastylis tasmanica Endemic Having a natural distribution confined to a particular geographic region

Common Name: tasmanian midge-orchid

Family Classification (Clade): Monocots

Family: Orchidaceae

Form Description: Robust midge orchid; slender green leaf with a maroon base finishing below the flower spike.

Flowers: 3-25 semi-nodding flowers, dark sometimes greenish, in a dense flower head. Lateral sepals with prominent whitish glands and a labellum with irregular margins and a sharply recurved, pointed apex.

Municipality
Break O’DayCircular HeadDorsetGlamorgan-Spring BayHobartKingboroughLauncestonTasmanWest Tamar
Plant Communities
Dry Eucalypt ForestGrasslandHeath
Habitat Notes

Locally common, growing in grassland, heathland and open forest in freely draining soil.

General Notes

Growth may be promoted by burning and slashing.

Propagation Calendar

  • Flowering Month
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • Seed Collecting Month
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • Sowing Month
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • Cutting Month
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Propagation Method
Specialist Method

Seed Information

Seed Treatment Notes

Orchid seeds are very minute yellow, brown or blackish dust-like particles. Orchid seeds are produced within a capsule that splits at maturity and releases thousands to millions of seeds. Dispersed by wind and water and only germinate following infection of the embryo by a suitable mycorrhizal fungus. Very few seeds become mature plants. For more information see Jones, Wapstra, Tonelli, Harris (1999): The Orchids of Tasmania.