Gastrodia cunninghamii Hook.f. 1853

Inflorescence Photo by © Phil in NZ at www.flickr.com courtesy of Terrestrial Orchid Gallery

LATE EARLY

Common Name Cunningham's Gastrodia [English Botanist 1800's]

Flower Size .6" [1.5 cm]

Found in Vanuatu and New Zealand in cleared areas and on banks in montane to subalpine forests as a medium sized, cold growing, mycoheterotrophic terrestrial with no leaves that blooms in the late spring and early summer on an erect, 2' [60 cm] long, slightly pilose, many [20] flowered, racemose inflorescence with lanceolate, acuminate floral bracts and carrying strongly scented flowers

The pseudobulbs of this species are roasted and consumed much as we would eat potatoes.

Synonyms Gastrodia antennifera Blume 1856; Gastrodia leucopetala Colenso 1885 publ. 1886

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; AOS Bulletin Vol 28 No 5 1959; AOS Bulletin Vol 47 No 6 1978; Orchids of Vanuatu Lewis & Cribb 1989; The Native Orchids of New Zealand, A Colour Field Guide Scanlen & St George 2010 photo fide;

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