''Diuris brevis'', commonly known as short-nosed donkey orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to a restricted area in 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 small yellow and brown flowers with a short labellum.

Description

''Diuris brevis'' 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 yellow and brown flowers, wide on slender

pedicels In botany, a pedicel is a stem that attaches a single flower to the inflorescence. Such inflorescences are described as ''pedicellate''. Description Pedicel refers to a structure connecting a single flower to its inflorescence. In the absenc ...

long. The flowers have erect, widely-spreading, 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, a dorsal sepal long and wide, and narrowly oblong, reddish-brown lateral sepals long. The labellum has three lobes, the lateral ones widely spreading, and the middle lobe very short and flattish with down-curved edges and a smooth yellow callus. Flowering occurs from mid-August to September.

Taxonomy and naming

''Diuris brevis'' 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 they collected in the Kenwick Swamp in 1997. 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 ...

(''brevis'') means "short ", referring to the mid-lobe of the labellum.

Distribution and habitat

Short-nosed donkey orchid is only known from the

type Type may refer to: Science and technology Computing * Typing, producing text via a keyboard, typewriter, etc. * Data type, collection of values used for computations. * File type * TYPE (DOS command), a command to display contents of a file. * Ty ...

location where it grows in dense, low shrubland.

Conservation

''Diuris brevis'' is listed as " Priority Two" 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 ...

, meaning that it is poorly known and from only one or a few locations.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q44247347 brevis Endemic orchids of Australia Orchids of Western Australia Endemic flora of Western Australia Plants described in 2016 Taxa named by David L. Jones (botanist)