''Diuris brachyscapa'', commonly known as western wheatbelt donkey orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to the

south-west The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each se ...

of Western Australia. It has two or three linear leaves and a flowering stem with up to four pale yellow flowers with brown markings.

Description

''Diuris brachyscapa'' is a tuberous, perennial

herb In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal ...

, usually growing to a height of with two or three linear leaves long and wide. There are up to four pale yellow flowers with brown markings, wide. The flowers have erect, ear-like

petal Petals are modified Leaf, leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often advertising coloration, brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''c ...

s long, an egg-shaped dorsal sepal long and wide, and narrowly oblong lateral sepals long. The labellum has three lobes, the lateral ones broad and spreading, and the middle lobe broad and flattened to convex with a yellow callus. Flowering occurs from late July to September. This donkey orchid is similar to ('' D. corymbosa'') but is shorter and has fewer and smaller flowers.

Taxonomy and naming

''Diuris brachyscapa'' was first formally described in 2016 by David Jones and

Christopher French Christopher French could refer to: *Christopher French (theologian) (fl. c. 1650–c.1713), Irish professor of divinity *Chris French (Christopher Charles French) (born 1956), British psychologist *Christopher French (judge) (1925–2003), British ...

in ''Australian Orchid Review'' from specimens collected by French near Kweda in 1996. The

specific epithet In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

(''brachyscapa'') means "short stem", referring to the short habit of this species compared to '' D. corymbosa''.

Distribution and habitat

Western wheatbelt donkey orchid grows in woodland, and on and around granite outcrops between the Albany and Great Eastern Highways, Katanning and

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in the Avon Wheatbelt, Esperance Plains, Jarrah Forest and Mallee bioregions of south-western Western Australia.

Conservation

''Diuris brachyscapa'' is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government

Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) is the Western Australian government The Government of Western Australia, formally referred to as His Majesty's Government of Western Australia, is the Australian state de ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q44247346 brachyscapa Endemic orchids of Australia Orchids of Western Australia Endemic flora of Western Australia Plants described in 2016 Taxa named by David L. Jones (botanist)