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Australian Systematic Botany Australian Systematic Botany Society
Taxonomy, biogeography and evolution of plants
RESEARCH ARTICLE

A revision of Australia’s hammer orchids (Drakaea: Orchidaceae), with some field data on species-specific sexually deceived wasp pollinators

Stephen D. Hopper A C and Andrew P. Brown B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AB, UK.

B Department of Environment and Conservation, Species and Communities Branch, Locked Bag 104, Bentley Delivery Centre, WA 6983, Australia.

C Corresponding author. Email: s.hopper@rbgkew.org.uk

Australian Systematic Botany 20(3) 252-285 https://doi.org/10.1071/SB06033
Submitted: 3 October 2006  Accepted: 22 January 2007   Published: 22 June 2007

Abstract

Drakaea Lindley, 1840 is a genus of 10 species of geophytic orchids endemic to the South-west Australian Floristic Region. The genus is renowned for its morphological and chemical adaptations, achieving pollination by sexual deception of male thynnid wasps. The history of taxa in Drakaea has been one of dispute and confusion right to the present day. Here we provide a revision of the genus, the first made by using modern collections and field data, formalising names for undescribed taxa featured by Hoffman and Brown (1992, 1998), several of which are threatened with extinction. We describe six new species: D. andrewsiae, D. concolor, D. confluens, D. gracilis, D. isolata and D. micrantha. Experimental baiting of male wasps has helped show the specific status of some of these new taxa. Molecular phylogenetic research is needed to clarify relationships and patterns of speciation in the genus. Five of the 10 Drakaea species are legally protected under the Western Australian Wildlife Conservation Act and the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, signalling the ongoing need for research and management to ensure the conservation of this unique part of Australia’s orchid heritage. D. andrewsiae has been recorded only three times from the Gnowangerup–Tunney district. Urgent surveys are needed to establish its conservation status.


Acknowledgements

We are grateful to many members of the WA Native Orchid Study and Conservation Group who have assisted our research on Drakaea over the past two decades, Sue Patrick for line drawings, Paul Wilson for Latin diagnoses and Bill Barker for photos of the type of D. andrewsiae at AD. The late Ron Heberle kindly provided a copy of the late Herb Foote’s photo of this elusive species. Garry Brockman alerted us to his rediscovery of D. andrewsiae. Graham Brown kindly identified wasp vouchers for us. Maps were derived and modified from the Australian Virtual Herbarium. For access to specimens we thank the Directors and staff of the following Australian and European Herbaria: AD, BRI, CANB, HO, KEW, MEL, NSW, PERTH, W. Successive Curators, Directors and staff of the Western Australian Herbarium have helped in numerous ways with our research. Two referees suggested material improvements to the manuscript.


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