Citation: Nicholls, Victorian Nat. 46:139 (1929).

Synonymy: T. ixioides Sw. var. ixioides forma merranae (Nicholls) Nicholls, Orchids Aust. facing t. 7 (1951).

Common name: None

Description:
Very slender, 10-20 cm high; leaf narrowlinear, channelled, 8-12 cm long, 2-7 mm wide.

Flowers lilac-blue with darker spots and stripes, 2-5 on slender pedicels, opening only in warm sunny weather; perianth-segments similar, elliptic, subacute 12-18 mm long; column not hooded, purplish, the post-anther lobe truncate, produced into. 2 bright-yellow entire wings extended forward, a dark band at the top of the column below them; column-arms thrust forward, red, ending in 2 erect sparse hair-tufts, pale-yellow with red tints; anther short, acute; pollinia friable falling onto the stigma, rostellum indistinct.

Distribution:  Uncommon around swamp margins, amongst low heath and rashes.   N.S.W.; Vic.; Tas. Conservation status: native Flowering time: Nov.

SA Distribution Map based on current data relating to specimens held in the State Herbarium of South Australia

Biology: McAlpine (1981) suggested that plants referred to T. merranae in N.S.W. were probable hybrids between T. ixioides and T. truncata the latter species itself a suspected hybrid between T. ixioides and T. pauciflora. The S. Aust. plants may have the same origin but they are autogamous and apparently breed true from seed. It is also possible that they have arisen as hybrids between T. holmesii and T. ixioides but they are not regarded here as synonymous with T. ixioides. Clements (1982) Preliminary checklist of Australian orchidaceae, p. 201.

Author: Not yet available