Thelymitra arenaria
Lindl.Flowering stem erect, straight, 25–40 cm tall, 1.5–4 mm diam., pale green to straw-coloured. Leaf linear-lanceolate, attenuate, 15–30 cm long, 8–18 mm wide, scabrous, leathery, canaliculate, ribbed abaxially, sheathing at base, dark green with a purplish base. Inflorescence 2–12-flowered, open. Sterile bracts usually 2, sometimes 1. Perianth segments elliptic to ovate, (8–)10–15 mm long, rich purplish. Column 4.5–6 mm long, pale blue with darker blue streaks at base; mid-lobe expanded into a hood over the anther, tubular, inflated, curving through c. 90 deg., yellow with a dark brown collar, apex emarginate to shallowly bilobed; lateral lobes converging, 0.8–1.2 mm long, digitiform, porrect at base then bent sharply upwards through 90 deg., each with a toothbrush-like arrangement white hairs terminating below the mid-lobe. Anther inserted towards apex of column, shortly beaked. Flowers Oct.–Dec.
Wim, GleP, VVP, VRiv, GipP, OtP, Gold, CVU, GGr, DunT, NIS, EGL, EGU, HSF, HNF, VAlp. Also SA, ACT, Tas. Widespread and reasonably common in heathland, scrubland, woodland and open forests from near sea-level to montane areas.
Widespread in south-eastern Australia.
Flowers are self-pollinating and only open on warm, humid days.