Acianthus fornicatus: Pixie caps

Acianthus fornicatus

also known as Pixie Cap.

This terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, sympodial herb and orchid has a single heart-shaped dark green glabrous leaf with an reddish-purple coloring on its underneath. The leaves range from 10-40 mm in length x 10-20 mm in width, on a 4-9 cm stalk in height. It often produces upwards of 10 flowers, well-spaced on a raceme 100-300 mm tall, with each flower 10-40 mm in length, and translucent pinkish-red with green sometimes black labellum. The callus covers most of the central areas and is thick and fleshy with small pimple-like papillae on the outer half. It flowers between May and August.

References:

• Jones, D.L. 1993 “Acianthus fornicatus R.Br.” PlantNET website referenced 6/22/21 ayt https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Acianthus~fornicatus
• Orchid Roots 2017-2021 “Acianthus fornicatus, R.Br. 1810” Website referenced 6/22/21 at https://www.orchidroots.com/detail/information/?role=&pid=1869
• Wikipedia n.d. “Acianthus fornicatus”. Website referenced on 6/22/21 at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acianthus_fornicatus.