Rhizanthella gardneri Orchidaceae

摘要

Since the almost simultaneous discovery of two underground orchids in Australia, the western Rhizanthella gardneri R.S. Rogers and the eastern Rhizanthella slateri Rupp in 1928 and 1931, botanists have pondered the relationship between these elusiveand enigmatic species. Here the biological and ecological relationships of the western underground orchid are discussed and new research to uncover the mysterious life histories of these unique Australian plants is described. The discovery of undergroundorchids caused great excitement. When farmer Jack Trott turned up the first specimen almost 75 years ago near the Western Australian wheatbelt town of corrigin, the botanical and natural history worlds in Australia and England were abuzz with news of the find, so much so that, following the recognition of the plant as a new species, a wax model of the western species was put on show.