Orthoceras strictum

Bird's-mouth Orchid
Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, Australia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Orchidaceae
Genus:	Orthoceras
Species:	O. strictum
Binomial name
Orthoceras strictum R.Br.

Orthoceras strictum, commonly known as the Bird's-mouth Orchid or Horned Orchid, is a small upright plant found in eastern and southern Australia. Also found in New Zealand, New Caledonia and New Guinea. Growing from 20 to 60 cm tall. Often found in grassy moist areas. Small maroon coloured flowers form in spring and summer. A yellow stripe in the lower part of the flower helps with identification.

The generic name Orthoceras is derived from the Ancient Greek terms “upright horn”, which alludes to the upright lateral sepals. sticta refers to the erect form of the plant.^[1]

The original specimen was collected at Sydney in December 1802. And in 1810, this species appeared in scientific literature, in Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae, authored by the prolific Scottish botanist, Robert Brown.

References

1. ^ Les Robinson - Field Guide to the Native Plants of Sydney, ISBN 9780731812110 page 251