Scientific Name: Thelymitra polychroma Endemic Having a natural distribution confined to a particular geographic region

Common Name: rainbow sun-orchid

Family Classification (Clade): Monocots

Family: Orchidaceae

Form Description: A small, slender sun orchid with a channelled, dark-green leaf, 100-200mm long.

Height (m): 0.1 – 0.25

Flowers: 1-4 upwardly-facing flowers, blue with mauve suffusions and darker veins and a few spots on the petals. A colourful blue column suffused with mauve and a yellow keyhole-shaped rim. Dense white hair tufts. Only opens on warm days. Self-pollinating.

Municipality
Circular HeadDorsetFlindersLatrobe
Plant Communities
No data available for this species
Habitat Notes

Uncommon in coastal and near-coastal heathland and open teatree scrub.

General Notes

Flowering enhanced by summer fires.

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.