''Genoplesium'' commonly known as midge orchids, is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of about 50 species of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

s in the orchid family,

Orchidaceae 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 ...

and is found in

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 ...

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

and

New Caledonia ) , anthem = "" , image_map = New Caledonia on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of New Caledonia , map_caption = Location of New Caledonia , mapsize = 290px , subdivision_type = Sovereign st ...

. Midge orchids are terrestrial

herbs 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 a single leaf at the base of the plant. They are similar to orchids in the genus ''

Prasophyllum ''Prasophyllum'', commonly known as leek orchids, is a genus of about 140 species of flowering plants in the orchid family, Orchidaceae and is found in Australia and New Zealand. The Australian species are found in all states but have not been re ...

'' in that plants without flowers have a hollow, onion-like leaf. The flowers are small but often scented and attractive to their insect pollinators. There is disagreement about which species belong to this genus and some taxonomists suggest that most belong in the genus ''

Corunastylis ''Corunastylis'' is a genus of about 50 species of plants in the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Commonly called midge orchids or pygmy orchids, they are terrestrial, deciduous, perennial, tuberous herbs found in Australia, New Zealand and New Ca ...

''.

Description

Orchids in the genus ''Genoplesium'' are terrestrial,

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 ...

deciduous In the fields of horticulture and Botany, the term ''deciduous'' () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, aft ...

, sympodial

, usually with a few inconspicuous, fine roots and a pair of more or less spherical

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 ...

s. The tubers are partly covered by a protective fibrous

sheath Sheath pronounced as , may refer to: * Scabbard, a sheath for holding a sword, knife, or other large blade, as well as guns, such as rifles. * The outer covering of a cable * Condom, a kind of contraception * Debye sheath, a layer of a plasma in ...

which extends to the soil surface. Replacement tubers form at the end of short root-like

stolon In biology, stolons (from Latin '' stolō'', genitive ''stolōnis'' – "branch"), also known as runners, are horizontal connections between organisms. They may be part of the organism, or of its skeleton; typically, animal stolons are external s ...

s. Orchids in this genus do not reproduce using "daughter" tubers, but rely on their flowers for reproduction. A single long, cylindrical, glabrous leaf develops near the base of the plant and is fused to the flowering stem. The leaf of flowering plants is solid but those of sterile plants are hollow. The

inflorescence An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed o ...

is a spike or

raceme A raceme ( or ) or racemoid is an unbranched, indeterminate type of inflorescence bearing flowers having short floral stalks along the shoots that bear the flowers. The oldest flowers grow close to the base and new flowers are produced as the s ...

with a few to many non-

resupinate Resupination is derived from the Latin word ''resupinus'', meaning "bent back with the face upward" or "on the back". "Resupination" is the noun form of the adjective "resupine" which means "being upside-down, supine or facing upward". The word " ...

flowers which are often have reddish brown or purple parts and often smell fruity. 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 ...

is usually shorter and wider than two lateral sepals, dished on the lower surface and often forms a hood over the

column A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression member. ...

. The lateral sepals are often joined near their bases and the lateral

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 shorter and narrower than the sepals. As is usual in orchids, one

is highly modified as the central labellum, much different from the other petals and sepals. The labellum is above the column and joined to it by a flexible attachment, so that the labellum vibrates in a breeze. The edge of the labellum sometimes has fine teeth,

glands In animals, a gland is a group of cells in an animal's body that synthesizes substances (such as hormones) for release into the bloodstream (endocrine gland) or into cavities inside the body or its outer surface (exocrine gland). Structure De ...

or hairs. The labellum has a callus which consists often covers its surface and which consists of a raised, fleshy plate. The sexual parts of the flower are fused to the column which is short and has narrow wings, often with an extension at the front. Midge orchids usually flower in summer, autumn or winter, depending on species, and the fruit that follows flowering is a non-fleshy,

dehiscent Dehiscence is the splitting of a mature plant structure along a built-in line of weakness to release its contents. This is common among fruits, anthers and sporangia. Sometimes this involves the complete detachment of a part; structures that op ...

capsule containing up to 500 seeds.

Taxonomy and naming

The genus ''Genoplesium'' was first formally described by Robert Brown in 1810 and the description was published in '' Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae''. The

type species In zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the species that contains the biological type specimen ...

is '' G. baueri''. The name ''Genoplesium'' is derived from the

Ancient Greek Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic peri ...

words ''genos'' meaning "race", "stock" or "kind" and ''plesios'' meaning "near" referring to the similarity of these orchids to those in the genus ''

''. David Jones and Mark Clements proposed moving all but one species of ''Genoplesium'' to ''

''. The change has been accepted by the

Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria are botanical garden, botanic gardens across two sites–Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne, Melbourne and Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne, Cranbourne. Melbourne Gardens was founded in 1846 when land was rese ...

who list eleven species of ''

'' but not the

Index Kewensis The 1893 ''Index Kewensis'' (IK), maintained by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, is a publication that aims to register all botanical names for seed plants at the rank of species and genera. It later came to include names of taxonomic families and ...

Distribution and habitat

Midge orchids mainly occur in

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

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 ...

, Victoria,

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

and

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

. There is one species ('' G. calopterum'') in

and two ('' G. nudum'' and '' G. pumilum'') in

. Most ''Genoplesium'' species occur in near-coastal regions but also grow in montane and sub-alpine areas. In Australia they are most common in moss beds over rock, in forest, woodland, heath and mallee. ''Genoplesium'' species in New Zealand grow in grassy places as well as in swamps and the New Caledonian species grows in stunted

maquis Maquis may refer to: Resistance groups * Maquis (World War II), predominantly rural guerrilla bands of the French Resistance * Spanish Maquis, guerrillas who fought against Francoist Spain in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War * The network ...

Ecology

Some of the characteristics of the flowers of midge orchids, such as small size, dull colours and hairy parts waving in a breeze, suggest pollination by small flies. Some studies have suggested that the flowers are pollinated exclusively by flies of the Superfamily Chloropoidea (now in the Family '' Milichiidae''). A few species, such as the New Zealand '' G. nudum'' appear to exclusively self-pollinate.

Species list

The species recognised by the ''World Checklist of Selected Plant Families'' as of July 2016 are: *'' Genoplesium acuminatum'' (

R.S.Rogers Richard Sanders Rogers (2 December 1861 – 28 March 1942) was a distinguished Australians, Australian medical doctor, and world authority on Australasian orchids. He described over 80 Australian orchid species, three from New Zealand and 30 from ...

) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. (

NSW ) , 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 ...

) – pointed midge orchid *'' Genoplesium alticola'' D.L.Jones & B.Gray (

Qld ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , establishe ...

) – tableland midge orchid *'' Genoplesium anthracinum'' (D.L.Jones) J.M.H. Shaw (NSW) – black midge orchid *'' Genoplesium apostasioides'' (Fitzg.) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. (NSW) – freak midge orchid *'' Genoplesium archeri'' (Hook.f.) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. (

Vic Vic (; es, Vic or Pancracio Celdrán (2004). Diccionario de topónimos españoles y sus gentilicios (5ª edición). Madrid: Espasa Calpe. p. 843. ISBN 978-84-670-3054-9. «Vic o Vich (viquense, vigitano, vigatán, ausense, ausetano, ausonense): ...

, Tas, NSW, Qld) - elfin midge orchid *'' Genoplesium arrectum'' D.L.Jones (Vic, NSW, ACT) – erect midge orchid *''

Genoplesium baueri ''Genoplesium baueri'', commonly known as the brittle midge orchid, is a small terrestrial orchid which is endemic to New South Wales. It has a single thin leaf and up to nine yellowish green to reddish brown flowers. It is mostly only found in ...

'' R.Br. (NSW) – brittle midge orchid, yellow gnat orchid *'' Genoplesium bishopii'' D.L.Jones (NSW) – Gibraltar Range midge orchid *''

Genoplesium brachystachyum ''Genoplesium brachystachyum'', commonly known as the Rocky Cape midge orchid or short-spike midge orchid, is a species of small terrestrial orchid endemic to Tasmania. It has a single thin leaf fused to the flowering stem and up to twelve small ...

'' (

Lindl. John Lindley FRS (5 February 1799 – 1 November 1865) was an English botanist, gardener and orchidologist. Early years Born in Catton, near Norwich, England, John Lindley was one of four children of George and Mary Lindley. George Lindley w ...

) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. (Tas) – short spike midge orchid *'' Genoplesium calopterum'' (

Rchb.f. Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach (Dresden, 3 January 1823 – Hamburg, 6 May 1889) was a botanist and the foremost German orchidologist of the 19th century. His father Heinrich Gottlieb Ludwig Reichenbach (author of ''Icones Florae Germanicae et Helve ...

) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. (

) *'' Genoplesium citriodorum'' D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. (NSW) – lemon-scented midge orchid *'' Genoplesium clivicola'' (D.L.Jones) J.M.H.Shaw (NSW, ACT) *'' Genoplesium confertum'' (D.L.Jones) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. (Qld) – crowded midge orchid *'' Genoplesium cornutum'' (D.L.Jones) J.M.H.Shaw (NSW, ACT) *'' Genoplesium cranei'' D.L.Jones (Qld) – Blackall Ridge midge orchid *'' Genoplesium despectans'' (Hook.f.) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. ( SA, Vic, Tas, NSW) – sharp midge orchid *'' Genoplesium ectopum'' D.L.Jones (ACT) – Brindabella midge orchid *'' Genoplesium eriochilum'' (Fitzg.) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. (NSW) – Mount Wilson midge orchid *'' Genoplesium filiforme'' (Fitzg.) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. (NSW, Qld) – glandular midge orchid *''

Genoplesium fimbriatum ''Genoplesium fimbriatum'', commonly known as the fringed midge orchid is a small terrestrial orchid found from southern Queensland to southern New South Wales. It has a single thin leaf and up to thirty green to brownish-green flowers with red ...

'' (R.Br.) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. (NSW, Qld) – fringed midge orchid *'' Genoplesium firthii'' (L.Cady) D.L.Jones (Tas) – Firth's midge orchid *'' Genoplesium formosum'' D.L.Jones (NSW) – Cathcart midge orchid *'' Genoplesium insigne'' D.L.Jones (NSW) – dark midge orchid *'' Genoplesium littorale'' D.L.Jones (NSW) – Tuncurry midge orchid *'' Genoplesium morinum'' D.L.Jones (Vic, NSW) – mulberry midge orchid *'' Genoplesium morrisii'' (Nicholls) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. (SA, Vic, Tas, NSW) – bearded midge-orchid *'' Genoplesium nigricans'' (R.Br.) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. (SA) – mallee midge-orchid *''

Genoplesium nudiscapum ''Genoplesium nudiscapum'', commonly known as the bare midge orchid, is a species of small terrestrial orchid endemic to Tasmania. It has a single thin leaf fused to the flowering stem and up to twenty small, green and reddish-brown flowers. It ...

'' (Hook.f.) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. (Tas) – dense midge-orchid *'' Genoplesium nudum'' (Hook.f.) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. ( NZ, Vic, Tas, NSW, ACT) – tiny midge orchid *'' Genoplesium oliganthum'' D.L.Jones (NSW) – Mongarlowe midge orchid *'' Genoplesium ostrinum'' D.L.Jones (NSW) – purple midge orchid *'' Genoplesium parvicallum'' ( Rupp) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. (Qld) – mountain-top midge orchid *'' Genoplesium pedersonii'' D.L.Jones (Qld) – Pederson's midge orchid *'' Genoplesium plumosum'' (Rupp) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. (NSW) – Tallong midge orchid or plumed midge orchid *'' Genoplesium psammophilum'' D.L.Jones (Qld) – coastal midge orchid *'' Genoplesium pumilum'' (Hook.f.) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. (NZ, Vic, Tas, NSW, Qld) – green midge orchid *'' Genoplesium rhyoliticum'' D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. (NSW) – Pambula midge orchid *'' Genoplesium rufum'' (R.Br.) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. (NSW, Qld) – rufous midge orchid *'' Genoplesium ruppii'' (R.S.Rogers) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. (NSW) – Rupp's midge orchid *'' Genoplesium sagittiferum'' (Rupp) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. (NSW) – horned midge orchid *'' Genoplesium sigmoideum'' D.L.Jones (Qld) – Dave's Creek midge orchid *'' Genoplesium simulans'' D.L.Jones (NSW) – Blue Mountains midge orchid *'' Genoplesium superbum'' D.L.Jones (NSW) – pink midge orchid *'' Genoplesium systenum'' D.L.Jones (NSW) – Kangarooby midge orchid *'' Genoplesium tasmanicum'' D.L.Jones (Tas) – Tasmanian midge orchid *''

Genoplesium tectum ''Genoplesium tectum'', commonly known as the Cardwell midge orchid, is a small terrestrial orchid endemic to a small area in north-eastern Queensland. It has a single thin leaf fused to the flowering stem and up to thirty light red flowers with ...

'' D.L.Jones (Qld) – Cardwell midge orchid *'' Genoplesium turfosum'' D.L.Jones (NSW) – alpine midge orchid *'' Genoplesium validum'' D.L.Jones (Qld) – Blackdown midge orchid *'' Genoplesium vernale'' D.L.Jones (NSW) – spring midge orchid *'' Genoplesium woollsii'' (F.Muell.) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. (NSW) – dark midge orchid

References

External links

* * {{Taxonbar, from=Q1309069 Diurideae genera