''Diuris monticola'', commonly known as highland golden moths, is a species of

orchid Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowering ...

that is endemic to south-eastern

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. It is a common and widespread, late flowering species growing in grassland and woodland habitats at higher altitudes. It has a tuft of up to nine leaves at the base and up to four slightly drooping bright yellow flowers with dark streaks in the centre.

Description

''Diuris monticola'' is a

tuber Tubers are a type of enlarged structure used as storage organs for nutrients in some plants. They are used for the plant's perennation (survival of the winter or dry months), to provide energy and nutrients for regrowth during the next growing ...

ous,

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

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 ...

with between five and nine narrow linear leaves long and wide in a loose tuft. Up to four slightly drooping bright yellow flowers with dark streaks in the centre and wide are borne on a flowering stem tall. The dorsal

sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 The term ''sepalum'' was coined b ...

leans forward and is egg-shaped, long and wide. The lateral sepals are lance-shaped to egg-shaped, the narrower end towards the base, long, wide, lean downwards and parallel to each other. The

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 are egg-shaped, long, wide and spread apart from each other on a blackish stalk long. The labellum is long and has three lobes. The centre lobe is egg-shaped, long and wide and the side lobes are linear to narrowly wedge-shaped, long and wide with irregular edges. There are two pimply, darker yellow callus ridges in the lower part of the mid-line of the labellum. Flowering occurs from November to January.

Taxonomy and naming

''Diuris monticola'' was first formally described in 1998 by David Jones from a specimen collected near Tantangara Dam and the description was published in ''Australian Orchid Research''. Jones derived 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 ...

(''monticola'') from the

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

''mons'' meaning "mountain" and ''-cola'' meaning "dweller", referring to the montane habitat of this species.

Distribution and habitat

Highland golden moths is widespread and common in montane grassland, and snowgum woodland in the higher parts of southern

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

, the

Australian Capital Territory The Australian Capital Territory (commonly abbreviated as ACT), known as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) until 1938, is a landlocked federal territory of Australia containing the national capital Canberra and some surrounding townships. ...

and north-eastern Victoria.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q10267402 monticola Endemic orchids of Australia Orchids of New South Wales Orchids of the Australian Capital Territory Orchids of Tasmania Orchids of Victoria (state) Plants described in 1998 Taxa named by David L. Jones (botanist)