Thelymitra pallidifructus
R.J.BatesFlowering stem erect, straight, to 10–30 cm tall, 2–4 mm wide, glaucous, green with pink or purplish tints. Leaf linear, 10–15 cm long, 1–2.5 mm wide, obliquely erect, fleshy, canaliculate at first, lamina becoming flat distally on larger specimens, ribbed abaxially, sheathing the scape for 3–5 cm, green with a red tinted base, fistula narrow. Inflorescence 2–10-flowered, open. Sterile bract single, linear lanceolate, 2–3 cm long, pale pink or green, closely sheathing, apex acute. Perianth segments ovate, ovate-lanceolate to ovate-oblong, concave, 6–10 mm long, usually lilac but sometimes pale blue. Column 4–5 mm long, white or very pale lilac; mid-lobe hooding the anther, ca. 2 mm long, tubular, curved gradually, tubular, curved forward, pale yellow with a brown to purple brown collar at the base but, apex hardly to irregularly notched, not thickened, lobes not inflated, margins sub-crenulate to dentate; auxiliary lobes indistinct; lateral lobes converging 0.8–1.1 mm long, digitiform, curved sharply upwards near the base, each with an untidy mop-like arrangement of white trichomes. Anther inserted midway along column, ovoid 2–2.5 mm long, the connective produced into an apical beak 0.5 mm long. Capsules pale greenish-yellow until dried. Flowers mid Oct.-early Nov.
GipP. Also South Australia. Until very recently Thelymitra pallidifructus was known only from South Australia. Relatively widespread in southern Victoria (based on some of the iNaturalist observations identified by Robert Mitchell) where known from western Wimmera, Digby area, Grampians, near Ballarat, Anglesea and extending east from Smiths Gully to Frankston. However, it is represented by only three collections that are held at the National Herbarium of Victoria, 2 very recent (2022, 2024) collections from Frankston and a 2001 collection from the Grampians.
Thelymitra pallidifructus is a member of the Thelymitra pauciflora species complex. It is recognised by the combination of a high leaf fistula, short stature, single sterile bract, pale yellow-green ovaries and fresh capsules, usually lilac buds and flowers, and crenulate post-anther lobe apex.
Bates. R.J. (2010). The Thelymitra pauciflora R.Br. complex (Orchidaceae) in South Australia with the description of seven new taxa. Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens 24 (2010) 17–32.