Microtis unifolia
(G.Forst.) Rchb.f.
Orchidaceae
Epipactis porrifolia Sw.
Microtis aemula Schltr.
Microtis banksii A.Cunn. ex Hook.
Microtis benthamiana Rchb.f.
Microtis bipulvinaris Nicholls
Microtis formosana Schltr. ex Masam.
Microtis frutetorum Schltdl.
Microtis holmesii Nicholls
Microtis javanica Rchb.f.
Microtis longifolia Colenso
Microtis papillosa Colenso
Microtis parviflora R.Br.
Microtis porrifolia (Sw.) R.Br.
Microtis pulchella Lindl.
Microtis viridis F.Muell.
Ophrys unifolia G.Forst.
Common Name: Onion-Leaf Orchis
General Information
Microtis unifolia is a tuberous, terrestrial orchid growing 15 - 50cm tall.
The small tuber has been gathered from the wild for use as emergency food.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
,
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
266- Title
- Flora of China
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
- Year
- 1994
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
Range
E. Asia - from China, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines to southern Australia, New Zealand and the western Pacific.
Habitat
Open places such as on banks and in poor pastures in North, South, Stewart and Chatham Islands[
].
Grassy slopes, moist sunny meadows at elevations up to 2,000 metres in tropical areas[
266- Title
- Flora of China
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
- Year
- 1994
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Habit | Perennial |
| Height | 0.30 m |
| Pollinators | Insects |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Microtis unifolia is found growing at low elevations in warm temperate areas, through the subtropics to higher elevations in the tropics.
The flowers have a powerful if sickly scent[
245- Title
- Scented Flora of the World.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Genders. R.
- Publisher
- Robert Hale. London.
- Year
- 1994
- ISBN
- 0-7090-5440-8
- Description
- An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.
].
Orchids are, in general, shallow-rooting plants of well-drained low-fertility soils. Their symbiotic relationship with a fungus in the soil allows them to obtain sufficient nutrients and be able to compete successfully with other plants. They are very sensitive to the addition of fertilizers or fungicides since these can harm the symbiotic fungus and thus kill the orchid[
230- Title
- Hardy Orchids. Orchids for the Garden and Frost-free Greenhouse.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Cribb. P. & Bailes. C.
- Publisher
- Christopher Helm. London.
- Year
- 1989
- ISBN
- 0 7470 0416 1
- Description
- An excellent book looking at the orchids that can be grown outdoors in temperate climates and giving lots of information on how to grow them. Very lttle information on their uses.
].
Edible Uses
Root[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
61- Title
- A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Usher. G.
- Publisher
- Constable
- Year
- 1974
- ISBN
- 0094579202
- Description
- Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
,
153- Title
- Economic Native Plants of New Zealand.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Brooker. S. G., Cambie. R. C. and Cooper. R. C.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1991
- ISBN
- 0-19-558229-2
- Description
- An interesting and readable book on the useful plants of New Zealand.
,
173- Title
- Native Edible Plants of New Zealand.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Crowe. A.
- Publisher
- Hodder and Stoughton
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-340-508302
- Description
- A very well written and illustrated book based on the authors own experiments with living on a native diet.
]. No more details are given. The tuber is small, around 4 - 7 x 3 - 6mm[
266- Title
- Flora of China
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
- Year
- 1994
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
].
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed - surface sow, preferably as soon as it is ripe, in the greenhouse and do not allow the compost to dry out. The seed of this species is extremely simple, it has a minute embryo surrounded by a single layer of protective cells. It contains very little food reserves and depends upon a symbiotic relationship with a species of soil-dwelling fungus. The fungal hyphae invade the seed and enter the cells of the embryo. The orchid soon begins to digest the fungal tissue and this acts as a food supply for the plant until it is able to obtain nutrients from decaying material in the soil[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. It is best to use some of the soil that is growing around established plants in order to introduce the fungus, or to sow the seed around a plant of the same species and allow the seedlings to grow on until they are large enough to move.
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
