About Thelymitra aristata Lindl.
Thelymitra aristata Lindl. is a tuberous perennial herb. It produces a single thick, fleshy, channelled leaf that ranges from linear to lance-shaped, measuring 250–400 mm (10–20 in) long and 25–40 mm (1–2 in) wide. Between six and forty pale blue, deep blue, or purple flowers, each 30–40 mm (1–2 in) wide with darker veins, are crowded on a flowering stem that grows 300–1,000 mm (10–40 in) tall. There are three to five large bracts along the flowering stem. Its sepals and petals are 15–20 mm (0.6–0.8 in) long and 6–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide. The central column of the flower is cream-coloured, white, or pale blue, 6–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and 5–5.5 mm (0.20–0.22 in) wide. The lobe on top of the anther is purplish brown with a finely toothed yellow tip, and the side lobes have dense, mop-like tufts of white hairs. The flowers are scented, insect-pollinated, and only open on sunny days. Flowering occurs between September and January. This species, commonly called the great sun orchid, grows in a wide range of habitats, from swamp margins to open forest. It is distributed in coastal and near-coastal areas of New South Wales south of Fitzroy Falls, the southern half of Victoria, south-eastern South Australia, and Tasmania including King Island and Flinders Island.
