Thelymitra Forst. et G. Forster
in Char. gen. pl. 97, t. 49; 1776

INTRODUCTION: Most of the fifty species in this genus occur in mainland Australia. It is also found in Tasmania, New Zealand, New Caledonia and Indonesia. The single New Guinea species T. papuana J.J. Smith is thought to be synonymous with both the Australian species T. pauciflora R. Br. and the Indonesian species T. javanica Bl. T. pauciflora was first described and will have to used for the New Guinea species if they are synonymous.

DERIVATION OF GENUS NAME: The German botanists Johann Georg Forster and Johann Reinhold Forster described this genus, taking the name from the Greek thelys (female) and mitra (cap, hood), referring to the hooded column prominent in some, but certainly not all, species.

TYPE SPECIES: Thelymitra longifolia J.Forst et G. Forst.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GENUS: Deciduous, terrestrial herbs, up to 40 cm tall, arising from ovoid, subterranean tubers with solitary leaves. The erect inflorescence carries relatively simple flowers, the labellum closely resembling the petals and sepals in size and shape, giving the flowers a symmetrical ap-pearance. The colour of the flowers is generally bright, predominantly blue but also in shades of pink, red and yellow.

HABITAT: The New Guinea species is only found at elevations above 2000 m, growing in sunny exposed situations in stony, sandy clay or loamy soils in grasslands and disturbed grassed areas, such as roadsides, landslips, edges of walking tracks and abandoned garden sites.

SPECIES SHOWN HERE: Thelymitra papuana J.J. Smith
drawn by Diana and N.H.S. Howcroft from live specimen ex Mt. Kaindi, Wau, Morobe Province

KEY TO ILLUSTRATION: A-C: habit and inflorescence; D: dorsal sepal, lateral sepals; E: petal, labellum, petal; F: column and stigma; G: column, side view

VIEW PHOTO: Thelymitra papuana, photo taken at Myola, Kokoda Range, Central Province, photo by Wolfgang H. Bandisch