Leafless Tongue Orchid - profile

Indicative distribution

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Key:

known

predicted

The areas shown in pink and/purple are the sub-regions where the species or community is known or predicted to occur. They may not occur thoughout the sub-region but may be restricted to certain areas. ( click here to see geographic restrictions). The information presented in this map is only indicative and may contain errors and omissions.

Scientific name: Cryptostylis hunteriana

Conservation status in NSW: Vulnerable

Commonwealth status: Vulnerable

Profile last updated: 13 Oct 2021

Description

As its name implies, the Leafless Tongue Orchid has no leaf. It produces an upright flower-stem to 45 cm tall, bearing five to 10 flowers between November (early flowering in October observed) and February (late flowerin in March observed). It has small narrow green sepals and petals to 22 mm long, but is dominated by an erect narrow very hairy ‘tongue’ (the labellum). This is up to 33 mm long, maroon along the margins and at the widened tip, and with a black central band. All other tongue orchids have leaves; most have a downward pointing labellum.

Distribution

The Leafless Tongue Orchid has been recorded from as far north as Gibraltar Range National Park south into Victoria around the coast as far as Orbost. It is known historically from a number of localities on the NSW south coast and has been observed in recent years at many sites between Batemans Bay and Nowra (although it is uncommon at all sites). Also recorded at Munmorah State Conservation Area, Nelson Bay, Wyee, Washpool National Park, Nowendoc State Forest, Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park and Ben Boyd National Park.

Habitat and ecology

Does not appear to have well defined habitat preferences and is known from a range of communities, including swamp-heath and woodland.
The larger populations typically occur in woodland dominated by Scribbly Gum (Eucalyptus sclerophylla), Silvertop Ash (E. sieberi), Red Bloodwood (Corymbia gummifera) and Black Sheoak (Allocasuarina littoralis); appears to prefer open areas in the understorey of this community and is often found in association with the Large Tongue Orchid (C. subulata) and the Tartan Tongue Orchid (C. erecta).
Little is known about the ecology of the species; being leafless it is expected to have limited photosynthetic capability and probably depends upon a fungal associate to meet its nutritional requirements from either living or dead organic material.
In addition to reproducing from seed, it is also capable of vegetative reproduction and thus forms colonies which can become more or less permanent at a site.
On the Central Coast of NSW, populations have been recorded in woodland dominated by Scribbly Gum (Eucalyptus haemastoma), Brown Stringybark (Eucalyptus capitellata), Red Bloodwood (Corymbia gummifera) and also associated with Large Tongue Orchid (C. subulata) and the Tartan Tongue Orchid (C. erecta).

Regional distribution and habitat

Click on a region below to view detailed distribution, habitat and vegetation information.

Threats

Since the Leafless Tongue Orchid tends to occur in coastal areas the main threat to its continued survival appears to be development pressure on sites where it occurs.
Some populations are threatened by road works.
Walkers on trail trampling adult plants; causes plant mortality.
National Parks burning resulting in unplanned, high intensity fires within the species' habitat.
Fire spreading from local RFS hazard-reduction burns potentially causing plant mortality.
Weed invasion following disturbance (e.g. by roadworks) of perenial grasses and other herbacous weeds which compete for space and resources.
Species monitoring - no threat

Recovery strategies

Priority actions are the specific, practical things that must be done to recover a threatened species, population or ecological community. The Office of Environment and Heritage has identified 4 priority actions to help recover the Leafless Tongue Orchid in New South Wales.

Activities to assist this species

Co-operatively develop (local governments and OEH) guidelines for survey and assessment, to be followed by developers, consultants and approval authorities.
Alert road maintenance staff to the presence of this species.
Monitor populations to determine the most appropriate timing and frequency of burning.

Information sources

Backhouse, G.N. and Jeanes, J.A. (1995) The Orchids of Victoria. (The Meigunyah Press, Melbourne)
Bell, S.A.J. (2001) Notes on population size and habitat of the vulnerable Cryptostylis hunteriana (Orchidaceae) from the Central Coast of New South Wales. Cunninghamia 7(2): 195-204
Benson, D. and McDougall, L. (2005) Ecology of Sydney plant species: Part 10, Monocotyledon families Lemnaceae to Zosteraceae. Cunninghamia 9(1): 16-212
Bishop, T. (2000) Field Guide to the Orchids of New South Wales and Victoria. (New South Wales University Press, Sydney)
Briggs, J.D. and Leigh, J.H. (1996) Rare or Threatened Australian Plants. Revised Edition. (CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne)
de Lacey, C., Bell, S., Chamberlain, S. and Bossard, K. (2012) Habitat of the leafless tongue orchid ('Cryptostylis hunteriana') throughout its known Australian distribution. Australasian Plant Conservation: Journal of the Australian Network for Plant Conservation 20(4) 23-25
Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water NSW (2010) Northern Rivers Regional Biodiversity Management Plan.
Jones, D.L. (2006) A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories. (Reed New Holland, Frenchs Forest NSW.)
Walsh, N.G. and Entwisle, T.J. (1994) Flora of Victoria. Volume 2, Ferns and Allied Plants, Conifers and Monocotyledons. (Inkata Press, Melbourne)
Weston, P.H. (1993) Cryptostylis. Pp 219-221 in Harden, G.J. (ed.) Flora of New South Wales. Volume 4. (New South Wales University Press, Sydney)

IBRA Bioregion	IBRA Subregion	Known or predicted	Geographic restrictions region

New England Tablelands	Northeast Forest Lands	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Stanthorpe Plateau	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Walcha Plateau	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Karuah Manning	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Macleay Hastings	Predicted	None
NSW North Coast	Rocky River Gorge	Predicted	None
NSW North Coast	Washpool	Known	None
Other State	Jervis Bay Territory	Predicted	None
South East Corner	Bateman	Known	None
South East Corner	East Gippsland Lowlands	Known	None
South East Corner	South East Coastal Ranges	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Clarence Sandstones	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Cumberland	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Ettrema	Predicted	None
Sydney Basin	Hunter	Predicted	None
Sydney Basin	Illawarra	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Jervis	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Moss Vale	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Pittwater	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Sydney Cataract	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Wollemi	Predicted	None
Sydney Basin	Wyong	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Yengo	Known	None

Images

Leafless Tongue Orchid Image 1 of 4.
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