Epiblema grandiflorum

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Monocots
Ordo: Asparagales

Familia: Orchidaceae
Subfamilia: Orchidoideae
Tribus: Diurideae
Subtribus: Thelymitrinae
Genus: Epiblema
Species: Epiblema grandiflorum
Name

Epiblema grandiflorum R.Br., Prodr. Fl. Nov. Holl.: 315 (1810)
Distribution
Native distribution areas:

Australasia
Australia
Western Australia.

References: Brummitt, R.K. 2001. TDWG – World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions, 2nd Edition
References
Primary references

Brown, R. 1810. Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae 315.

Links

Global Biodiversity Information Facility. 2022. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset. Taxon: Epiblema grandiflorum. Accessed: 2022 Sep 3.
Govaerts, R. et al. 2022. Epiblema grandiflorum in Kew Science Plants of the World online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published online. Accessed: 2022 Sep 3. Reference page.
Govaerts, R. et al. 2022. Epiblema grandiflorum in World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published online. Accessed: 2022 Sep 3. Reference page.
Hassler, M. 2022. Epiblema grandiflorum. World Plants: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World In: Roskovh, Y., Abucay, L., Orrell, T., Nicolson, D., Bailly, N., Kirk, P., Bourgoin, T., DeWalt, R.E., Decock, W., De Wever, A., Nieukerken, E. van, Zarucchi, J. & Penev, L., eds. 2022. Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. Published online. Accessed: 2022 Sep 3. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2022. Epiblema grandiflorum. Published online. Accessed: 3 Sep 2022.
Tropicos.org 2022. Epiblema grandiflorum. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published online. Accessed: 3 Sep 2022.

Vernacular names

English: Babe-in-a-cradle

Epiblema grandiflorum, commonly known as babe-in-a-cradle, is the only species in the flowering plant genus Epiblema in the orchid family, Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a colony-forming orchid which grows in peaty swamps near the coast. Its flowers are purple with ribbon-like strands attached to its labellum and a broad, petal-like column.
Contents

1 Description
2 Taxonomy and naming
3 Distribution and habitat
4 Conservation
5 References
6 External links

Description

Epiblema grandiflorum is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, sympodial herb with a few inconspicuous, fine roots and an oval-shaped tuber lacking a protective sheath. The tuber produces replacement tubers on the end of short, root-like stolons. There is a single, tubular leaf about 20–25 cm (8–10 in) long, about 5 mm (0.2 in) wide at the base of the plant.[1][2][3]

There are between two and eight resupinate flowers on the end of a wiry stem 25–80 cm (10–30 in) high. The flowers are purple, 20–40 mm (0.8–2 in) long and wide, on a short stalk surrounded by a leaf-like bract. The three sepals and two lateral petals are free from, and more or less similar to, each other. The labellum is similar in size, shape and colour to the petals and has a callus consisting of a swelling with ribbon-like or club-shaped appendages. The sexual parts of the flower are fused to the column, which is erect and has wing-like structures on its sides. Flowering occurs from late November to January and is followed by the fruit which is a non-fleshy, glabrous, dehiscent capsule containing a large number of seeds.[1][2][3]
Taxonomy and naming

This orchid was first formally described in 1810 by Robert Brown and the description was published in Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae.[4][5]

The genus name Epiblema is an Ancient Greek word meaning "a coverlet" or "something thrown over" (such as a blanket)[6]: 150  and the specific epithet "grandiflora" is derived from the Latin words grandis meaning "noble" or "magnificent"[6]: 378  and flos meaning "flower".[6]: 338 
Distribution and habitat

Babe-in-a-cradle grows in wet, peaty swamps, often initially underwater but by the time the flowers appear, the water has usually receded. It is found in coastal areas between Gingin north of Perth and Esperance in the Esperance Plains, Jarrah Forest, Swan Coastal Plain and Warren biogeographic regions.[7]
Conservation

Epiblema grandiflorum is classified as "Not Threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife.[7]
References

Hoffman, Noel; Brown, Andrew (2011). Orchids of South-West Australia (3rd ed.). Gooseberry Hill: Noel Hoffman. pp. 282–284. ISBN 9780646562322.
"Epiblema". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
Pridgeon (ed.), Alec M.; Cribb (ed.), Phillip J.; Chase (ed.), Mark W.; Rasmussen (ed.), Finn (2001). Genera Orchidacearum, Volume 2, Orchidoideae (part 1). Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. pp. 204–205. ISBN 0198507100. {{cite book}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
"Epiblema grandiflorum". APNI. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
Brown, Robert (1810). Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae. London. p. 315. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
"Epiblema grandiflorum". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.