Thismia lanternata

Thismia lanternata, commonly known as fairy lantern, is a plant in the family Burmanniaceae found only in the Wet Tropics bioregion of Queensland, Australia.

Fairy lantern
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Dioscoreales
Family: Burmanniaceae
Genus: Thismia
Species:
T. lanternata
Binomial name
Thismia lanternata
W.E.Cooper[2][3]

Description

Thismia lanternata is a small underground herb and an obligate myco-heterotroph, that is, it lacks chlorophyll and relies on a symbiotic association with fungi to obtain its nutrients. The roots, stem and leaves of the plant remain underground and only the flower appears above ground. The leaves are scale-like, pale, and measure up to 5 mm long by 3 mm wide. The flowers are solitary and are about 25 mm long by 12 mm wide. Only one fruit (immature) has been observed, which measured about 5 mm long and wide.[4]

Taxonomy

This species was first described (as Thismia lanternatus) by the Australian botanist Wendy Elizabeth Cooper, and published in the journal Austrobaileya in 2017. The species epithet lanternata is a reference to the lantern-like flower.[4]

Distribution and habitat

As of June 2024, it is only known from collections in disturbed rainforest near Chilverton, between Evelyn and Ravenshoe on the Atherton Tableland, Queensland.[5]

Conservation

Despite its extremely limited known range, Thismia lanternata is listed as least concern under the Queensland Government's Nature Conservation Act.[1] As of 21 June 2024, it has not been assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

References
  1. "Species profile—Thismia lanternata". Queensland Department of Environment and Science. Queensland Government. 2024. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  2. "Thismia lanternata". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  3. "Thismia lanternata W.E.Cooper". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2024. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  4. Cooper, W. E. (2017). "Thismia hawkesii W.E.Cooper and T. lanternatus W.E.Cooper (Thismiaceae), two new fairy lantern species from the Wet Tropics Bioregion, Queensland, Australia". Austrobaileya. 10 (1): 130–138. doi:10.5962/p.299895.
  5. "Search: species: Thismia lanternata | Occurrence records". Australasian Virtual Herbarium. Australian Government. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
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