Classification
Class
Magnoliopsida Brongn.
Order
Asparagales Link
Family
Orchidaceae Juss.
Genus
Earina Lindl.
 Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Earina mucronata Lindl. (1834)
Synonymy:
  • = Earina quadrilobata Colenso, Trans. New Zealand Inst. 15: 325 (1882 [1883])
Vernacular Name(s):
Bamboo orchid (NZ); New Zealand bamboo orchid; Peka-a-waka; Spring earina
 Description

Plant at fl. to 100 cm. long, us. less. Stem us. drooping, completely clad in sheathing lf-bases. Lf-sheaths c. 2–3 mm. diam., not split, forming tube-in-tube structure, each covering the lower third to half of the one above and flattened in the plane of the ± distichous lvs, the exposed surfaces pale with small dark spots; lamina 6–15–(20) cm. × 4–6 mm., widest near base and tapering very gradually to acute, minutely acicular tip, soon falling and leaving lower half of stem with lf-sheaths only. Rhizome slender, pale except for dark nodes. Panicle to c. 10 cm. long, drooping; racemes 2–6–(10), well spaced on very slender axis, each 3–4 cm. long; floral bracts c. 4 mm. long, barely overlapping, longitudinally ridged, hiding short pedicel. Per. c. 10–12 mm. diam., opening widely, pale, slightly greenish cream. Sepals elliptic, subacute. Petals slightly broader and more obtuse. Labellum much broader and more showy, yellowish to apricot, spreading widely in fl., broadly oblong in overall outline, broad proximal part connected by narrow isthmus with almost equally large distal lobe; near base 2 inconspicuous ridges lead down to small pit (nectary?). Column much shorter, narrow to base, wings obsolete; pollinia long-oval.

[From: Moore and Edgar (1970) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 2.]

 Biostatus
Indigenous (Endemic)
 Phenology

Flowering: Sep.–Nov.–(May)

 Bibliography
Colenso, W. 1883: Descriptions of a few new indigenous plants. Transactions of the New Zealand Institute 15: 320–339.
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Barkla J.W.; Courtney, S.P.; Champion, P.D.; Perrie, L.R.; Beadel, S.N.; Ford, K.A.; Breitwieser, I.; Schönberger, I.; Hindmarsh-Walls, R.; Heenan, P.B.; Ladley, K. 2018: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017. New Zealand Threat Classification Series. No. 22. [Not Threatened]
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Champion, P.D.; Courtney, S.P.; Heenan, P.B.; Barkla, J.W.; Cameron, E.K.; Norton, D.A.; Hitchmough, R.A. 2013: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012. New Zealand Threat Classification Series 3. Department of Conservation, Wellington. [Not Threatened]
Parsons, M.J.; Douglass, P.; Macmillan, B.H. 1998: Current Names List for wild Gymnosperms, Dicotyledons and Monocotyledons (except Grasses) of New Zealand as used in Herbarium CHR. Version 1, to 31 Dec 1995. Manaaki Whenua Press, Lincoln, Canterbury, New Zealand.