Species profile—Phaius bernaysii (yellow swamp orchid)

Classification

Plantae (plants) → Equisetopsida (land plants) → Orchidaceae → Phaius bernaysii (yellow swamp orchid)

Species details

Kingdom

Plantae (plants)

Class

Equisetopsida (land plants)

Family

Orchidaceae

Scientific name

Phaius bernaysii Rowland ex Rchb.f.

Common name

yellow swamp orchid

WildNet taxon ID

12723

Alternate name(s)

golden swamp orchid

Nature Conservation Act 1992 (NCA) status

Endangered

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) status

Endangered

Conservation significant

Yes

Confidential

Yes

Wetland status

Wetland Indicator Species

Endemicity

Native

Pest status

Nil

Description

Phaius bernaysii is a ground orchid growing up to 2m tall when in flower and forming clumps up to 1m wide. The stems have a bulb-like enlargement and are crowded, 50-70 by 50-70mm. There are 4-7 leaves that are dark green and pleated, 50-125cm long by 8-10cm wide.
The flower spikes are 2m tall, stout and contain 4-16 flowers. The flowers are fleshy, measuring 6-10cm by 6.5-11cm, white on the outside and pale yellow-green to yellow on the inside. The central column-like petal (labellum) is yellow to white in colour. The lateral lobes of the labellum are usually incurved beside the column and sometimes extend above the column, but do not form a tight tube.
P. bernaysii differs from P. australis in the flower colour and is indistinguishable when not in flower. (DEWHA 2008)

Map

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Habitat

Phaius bernaysii grows in low lying areas which are more or less swampy for most of the year. It has been recorded growing in scattered clumps among sedges and lantana, and among heath at the edge of swamps. (DEWHA 2008; Herbrecs 2008)

Reproduction

Phaius bernaysii flowers from September to December. (DEWHA 2008)

Threatening processes

Collecting, sand mining, clearing of habitat.

Management documents

Conservation and management of protected plants in trade in Queensland 1995-1998. Department of Environment.

Notes

Contributors: Weslawa Misiak 10/09/1998; Peter Bostock, Mellisa Mayhew 13/03/2009

References

Clements, M.A. (1989). Catalogue of Australian Orchidaceae. Australian Orchid Research 1: 1-160.
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (2008). Phaius bernaysii in Species Profile and Threats Database, Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Canberra. Accessed 24/10/2008. http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/sprat.pl
Herbrecs (2008). Phaius bernaysii, in BriMapper version 2.12. Queensland Herbarium. Accessed 24/10/2008.
Jones, D.L. (1988). Native Orchids of Australia. Reed Books, Sydney. 656 pp.

Profile author

Peter Bostock (13/03/2009)

Other resources

• Species Profile and Threats Database (SPRAT)
• The Australasian Virtual Herbarium (AVH)
• Atlas of Living Australia

Data source

This profile data is sourced from the QLD Wildlife Data API using the Get species by ID function used under CC-By 4.0.
https://apps.des.qld.gov.au/species/?op=getspeciesbyid&taxonid=12723.

This information is sourced from the WildNet database managed by the Queensland Department of Environment and Science.