Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants - Online edition

Dischidia nummularia R.Br.


Epiphyte
Slender Vine
Click/tap on images to enlarge
Flowers [not vouchered]. © G. Sankowsky
Leaves and Flowers. © CSIRO
Dehiscing fruit. © CSIRO
Scale bar 10mm. © CSIRO
Family

Brown, R. (1810) Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae : 461. Type: Queensland, Endeavour River, Banks & Solander: holo: BM. Fide R. E. Rintz, Blumea 26: 98 (1980).

Common name

Button Orchid

Stem

A slender vine not exceeding a stem diameter of 2 cm. Usually found growing as an epiphyte on the bark of trees. Climbing by means of adventitious roots but also hanging from branches like strings of beads.

Leaves

Twigs, leaves and petioles produce a milky exudate. Leaf blades very thick and fleshy, blue-grey in colour, about 6-15 x 4-13 mm, petioles about 1-2 mm long. Underside of the leaf blade clothed in white peltate scales. Veins not visible.

Flowers

Peduncles about 7-8 mm long. Pedicels about 2.5 mm long. Sepals about 0.5 mm long. Corolla tube about 2 mm long, lobes about 0.5 mm long. Corona consists of 5 strap-like structures each of which is 2-armed at the apex. Pollinia erect. Stigma not projecting above the anther apices.

Fruit

Follicles about 35 x 0.7 mm, broadest towards the base and tapering to a long slender point at the apex. Seeds about 2.5 x 0.6 mm. Plumes white, about 25 mm long. Cotyledons about as wide as the radicle. Cotyledons about 1 mm long, radicle about 1.5 mm long.

Seedlings

Features not available.

Distribution and Ecology

Occurs in CYP and NEQ. Altitudinal range not great, extending from near sea level to 250 m. Grows as an epiphytic vine in open forest, swamp forest and rain forest. Also occurs in New Guinea and other parts of Malesia.

RFK Code
2574
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