Aciathus exsertus

Large Mosquito Orchid

Small, fine, dark brown flowers with pinkish and purplish markings
There are from 3 to 25 flowers, well-spaced on a thin raceme, 100–300 mm (4–10 in) tall
Each flower 12–16 mm long
The dorsal sepal is linear to egg-shaped, 7–9 mm long, 3 mm wide with a point 2–3 mm long with a red central stripe and forms a hood only partly covering the column
The lateral sepals are 8–9 mm long, 1 mm wide, linear to narrow lance-shaped, with a tip 2–3 mm long and project forwards parallel to each other or diverging
The petals are a similar colour and are 4–5 mm long, about 1 mm wide, linear to narrow egg-shaped and turn towards the ovary
The labellum is 5–6 mm wide, 3.5–4 mm wide, heart-shaped to elliptic, dished near the base with the edges rolled under but lacking teeth
The thick, fleshy callus has many small pimple-like papillae on the outer half
Flowering occurs from March to August

Fruit:

Leaves:

A single, heart-shaped, glabrous, dark green leaf which is reddish-purple on its lower surface
The leaf is 15–40 mm long, 10–30 mm wide

Stem & branches:

Roots:

Habit:

Habitat:

Distribution:

Endemic to eastern Australia
Queensland, NSW, the ACT and Victoria
This orchid is widespread and locally common, sometimes in coastal areas but more usually on the ranges and tablelands in sheltered forest and woodland
In Queensland, it occurs as far north as Rockhampton
In NSW in most regions of the coast and tablelands and in eastern Victoria, from sea level to an altitude of 800 m

Additional notes:

This species is distinguished from other mosquito orchids by its relatively large, well-spaced, dark coloured flowers and by the dorsal sepal which does not cover the column
Taxonomy
- It was first formally described by Robert Brown in 1810 and the description was published in Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae
- Distribution and habitat

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