Southern Fleshy Jewel Orchid

Cheirostylis notialis is a tuberous, perennial herb with between three and six egg-shaped leaves, 13–35 mm (0.5–1 in) long and 9–20 mm (0.4–0.8 in) wide on a petiole 3–10 mm (0.1–0.4 in) long. Up to four resupinate, hairy white flowers, 6–9 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long and 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) wide are borne on a flowering stem 50–180 mm (2–7 in) tall. The dorsal sepal is 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long, about 4 mm (0.2 in) wide and fused with the lateral sepals to form a tube. The lateral sepals are a similar size to the dorsal sepal and the petals are the same length but about half as wide. The labellum is 8.5 mm (0.3 in) long, about 7 mm (0.3 in) wide with a shallow, pouch-like base. The tip of the labellum has two lobes with toothed edges. Flowering occurs from October to November.

The southern fleshy jewel orchid grows in wet forest and rainforest between the Miriam Vale in south-eastern Queensland and near Scotts Head in New South Wales.

== References ==