Cyrtostylis huegelii

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Cyrtostylis huegelii
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Liliopsida Order: Asparagales Family: Orchidaceae Subfamily: Orchidoideae Genus: Cyrtostylis Species: C. huegelii
Binomial name
Cyrtostylis huegelii Endl.

Cyrtostylis huegelii is a perennial and herbaceous flowering plant, an orchid, found in Southwest Australia. It has also been named as the Midge Orchid, after a small flying insect found in the same region.

The species is very similar to two other taxa in the genera, also found in Western Australia, but differentiated by having smaller flowering structures, brownish colouration on the leaves and flowers, and the widest distribution. The distribution is predominantly coastal plains, and inland to forests, from Kalbarri to Esperance, on lateric or granitic soils, sand in coastal heaths, and on Jarrah and Marri forest floors. It favours moist and shaded habitat, and often forms small, sometimes circular, colonies whose leaves lie against the ground. Those plants in the group which flower will reach a height of between 100 and 300 mm. Flowering is between July and September.

The specific epithet is named for Carl von Huegel, who collected the type specimen.

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