Diuris concinna, commonly called the elegant donkey orchid, is a species of orchid which is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has up to five linear leaves at its base and up to five pale yellow flowers with brown markings. It is found along the south coast, often growing in areas that are flooded in winter and flowering more prolifically after fire the previous summer.
Diuris concinna is a tuberous, perennial herb, usually growing to a height of NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1, although often up to 600sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 when surrounded by sedges. Between three and five linear leaves emerge at the base, each leaf NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide. Up to five pale yellow flowers with brown markings, 25sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide are borne on a flowering stem NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 tall. The dorsal sepal is more or less erect, egg-shaped, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide. The lateral sepals are linear to sword-shaped, green and purplish, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long, about 3sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide, turned downwards and parallel to each other. The petals are curved backwards, spread apart from each other, sometimes almost horizontal, with an elliptic blade NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide on a reddish-brown stalk NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long. The labellum is NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and has three lobes. The centre lobe is egg-shaped, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide and the side lobes are egg-shaped, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide. There are two ridge-like calli NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 long near the mid-line of the base of the labellum. Flowering occurs between September and December, reaching a peak in mid-October.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]
Diuris concinna was first formally described in 1991 by David Jones from a specimen collected near Esperance, and the description was published in Australian Orchid Review.[6] The specific epithet (concinna) is a Latin word meaning "well-arranged, skilfully joined, beautiful [or] striking".[7]
The elegant donkey orchid grows in winter-wet areas, usually between low shrubs or sedges between the Cape Arid and Fitzgerald River National Parks in the Coolgardie, Esperance Plains and Mallee biogeographic regions.
Diuris concinna is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.