Chiloglottis formicifera, commonly known as the common ant orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to New South Wales. It has two broad leaves and a single narrow, greenish or reddish flower with a black, ant-like callus covering most of the upper surface of the labellum. There is a single record of this species from New Zealand.
Chiloglottis formicifera is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with two leaves NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide. A single greenish or reddish flower NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide is borne on a flowering stem NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 high. The dorsal sepal is spatula-shaped, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and about 3sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide. The lateral sepals are NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 long, about 0.7sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide and erect at the base then curve downwards. There is a glandular tip about 0.5sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long on the end of all three sepals. The petals are lance-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long, about 3sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide and turned strongly downwards. The labellum is diamond-shaped, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide with a narrow, shiny black, ant-like callus covering most of its upper surface. Flowering occurs from August to November.[1] [2]
Chiloglottis formicifera was first formally described in 1877 by Robert D. FitzGerald and the description was published in his book Australian Orchids from a specimen collected "in a gully at the Kurrajong".[3] The specific epithet (formicifera) is derived from the Latin word formica meaning "ant"[4] with the suffix -fera meaning "bear", "carry" or "have".
The common ant orchid grows in moist places in forest between the Northern Tablelands and Nowra. There is a single historical record from Kaitaia in New Zealand.[5]