Thelymitra ixioides
Sw. Dotted Sun-orchidFlowering stem erect, straight, 13–60 cm tall, 2–5 mm diam., green to grey-green, sometimes reddish basally. Leaf filiform to linear-lanceolate, 8–30 cm long, 5–10 mm wide, canaliculate to plicate or inrolled distally, dark green, often reddish at base. Inflorescence 1–15-flowered, loose when few-flowered. Sterile bracts 2 or 3. Perianth segments ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 12–20 mm long, purple, blue, greenish-blue, pink, occasionally white or the sepals and petals of different hues, usually with darker spots on dorsal sepal and petals. Column 4–6 mm long, purple, bluish or pinkish, often with a dark brown, reddish or dark purple subterminal band; mid-lobe not hooded, central part truncate, with several irregular rows of crowded fingerlike vertical calli, white, yellow, orange, brown to purple, often bordered from inside (near anther) with a vertical plate-like crest, frequently taller than calli; accessory-lobes incurved over anther and nearly lying flat, columnar, protruding much higher than mid-lobe, oblique or flat-topped, yellow to orange, crest smooth to denticulate; lateral lobes 1.5–2.5 mm long, extending horizontally or oblique, flattish, ending in a mop-like white, pink or mauve hair-tuft. Anther protruding below or between column-arms, shortly beaked. Flowers Sep.–Dec.
LoM, Wim, GleP, VVP, VRiv, GipP, OtP, WaP, Gold, CVU, GGr, DunT, NIS, EGL, EGU, WPro, HSF, HNF, OtR, Strz, MonT, HFE, VAlp. Also SA, Qld, NSW, Tas. Found in many habitats including swamps, heathland on sandy soils, low woodlands on skeletal soils, open forests and grasslands.
Variants with unspotted, or very faintly spotted flowers occur occasionally.
Distinguished from Thelymitra juncifolia by the generally larger, more freely opening, insect-pollinated flowers.
Known to hybridise with members of the T. nuda/T. pauciflora complex (T. ×truncata, T. ×merraniae) and with T. carnea and T. rubra (both hybrids included in T. ×irregularis).
Weber, J.Z.; Entwisle, T.J. (1994). Thelymitra. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 2, Ferns and Allied Plants, Conifers and Monocotyledons, pp. 840–854. Inkata Press, Melbourne.