Calochilus metallicus
species of plant
Calochilus metallicus, commonly known as metallic beard orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Tropical Queensland. It has a single dark green leaf and up to four pale green flowers with a pinkish or reddish "beard" on the labellum.
Description
Calochilus metallicus is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single dark green leaf which is only partially developed at flowering time, 80–180 mm (3–7 in) long, 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide when fully developed. Up to four pale green flowers with darker markings, 13–16 mm (0.5–0.6 in) long and 7–9 mm (0.3–0.4 in) wide are borne on a flowering stem 200–300 mm (8–10 in) tall. The dorsal sepal is 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long and about 5 mm (0.2 in) wide. The lateral sepals are a similar length but about narrower. The petals are about 6 mm (0.2 in) long and 2 mm (0.08 in) wide. The labellum is flat, 12–14 mm (0.5–0.6 in) long, about 5 mm (0.2 in) wide and green with red markings. The labellum is mostly covered with thin, metallic hairs 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) long, except for the tip which is hairless. Flowering occurs from December to February but each flower only lasts only a few hours.
The public source identifies “Calochilus metallicus” as species of plant. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Calochilus, metallicus and species.
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A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Calochilus metallicus”, the useful work is to connect “species of plant” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
The date and method of observation matter as much as the stated conclusion, especially where classification or consensus has changed. The source revision retrieved here is dated Oct 25, 2025. The linked authority identifier is Q15496048.
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This entry incorporates text from “Calochilus metallicus” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.