''Diuris nigromontana'', commonly known as Canberra donkey orchid or Black Mountain leopard orchid, 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 Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to 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. ...

. It has two grass-like leaves and up to eight yellow-orange flowers with brownish marks on the labellum.

Description

''Diuris nigromontana'' 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 two linear leaves folded lengthwise. Between two and eight yellow-orange flowers are borne on a flowering stem up to tall. The dorsal sepal is tall and usually erect, more or less triangular but with a bluntly-pointed tip. The lateral sepals are crossed, but usually not turned backwards. The petals are usually erect, egg-shaped to round. The labellum has brownish marks and three lobes, the side lobes relatively large and oblong. Flowering occurs in October and November. This orchid is similar to '' D. semilunulata'' but is a brighter shade of yellow, has less prominent darker markings and erect petals.

Taxonomy

''Diuris nigromontana'' was first formally described in 2008 by David Jones in "The Orchadian" from a specimen collected on Black Mountain. 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 ...

means "black mountain", referring to Black Mountain where this species is common.

Distribution and habitat

Canberra donkey orchid grows in shrubby woodland and forest, and is locally common around Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3032194 nigromontana Orchids of the Australian Capital Territory Plants described in 2008 Taxa named by David L. Jones (botanist)