×Phelodia tutelata
(R.S.Rogers) KellermannFlowering plant 8–20 cm tall. Leaf oblong to oblong-lanceolate, 5–8 cm long, slightly hairy. Flower solitary, dark-blue to purplish; sepals and petals lighter coloured on the outside, dotted with minute dark-purple glands, subequal, all but the erect or slightly incurved dorsal sepal spreading; sepals 2–2.5 cm long, elliptic-lanceolate; lateral sepals wider than dorsal sepal; petals slightly shorter than sepals, somewhat falcate. Labellum obscurely 3-lobed, almost sessile, cordate, 8–10 mm long, 5.5–6.5 mm wide, purple with a whitish base, apex acute, margins entire except for minute teeth near tip; basal half erect, clasping the column, then gradually recurved; calli on lamina stalked, club-shaped, with white or yellow heads, generally in 2 well-defined rows from base to middle, thereafter less regular in shape and distribution (occasionally all reduced to a few tall basal calli); 4 basal calli club-shaped, c. 3 mm long, standing vertically in front of column, free or fused into 2 pairs. Column broadly winged on its upper part; anther with elongate point nearly 2 mm long. Flowers Sep.–Oct.
Wim, OtP, Gold. Also SA, Tas. Recorded in Victoria from near Casterton, Aireys Inlet, Anglesea and Point Lonsdale, in heathy woodland.
This taxon is a rare natural hybrid between Glossodia major and Pheladenia deformis.
Flowering is apparently promoted by fire.
Plants of similar morphology result from natural hybridisation between Glossodia major and Cyanicula caerulea.
This hybrid has a complicated nomenclatural history. It was first described as xGlossadenia tutelata Kavulak, an illegitimate name, later legitimized as xGlossadenia tutelata Jeanes. However, both of these names were coined with the non-Glossodia parent being Caladenia deformis and with the transfer of this species to Pheladenia, a new generic name was required, hence xPhelodia Kellermann (Kellermann & Monro 2021)
Entwisle, T.J. (1994). Orchidaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 2, Ferns and Allied Plants, Conifers and Monocotyledons, pp. 740–901. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Kellermann, J.; Monro, A. (2021a). Validation of two names of Australian orchids. Swainsona 35: 39–42.