Diuris emarginata, commonly called the late donkey orchid, is a species of orchid which is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has up to six leaves and a flowering stem with up to eight yellow flowers with brown markings but only after fires the previous summer.
Diuris emarginata is a tuberous, perennial herb with between three and six linear leaves NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide. Between three and eight yellow flowers with brown markings, about 30sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide are borne on a flowering stem NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 tall. The dorsal is erect, tapering, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide. The lateral sepals are NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide and project forwards. The petals are more or less erect or spread apart from each other, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide on a blackish stalk NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long. The labellum is NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long, turns slightly downwards and has three lobes. The centre lobe is narrow egg-shaped, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide and the side lobes are NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide and spread apart from each other. There are two callus ridges NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 long near the mid-line of the labellum and outlined in brownish red. Flowering occurs from November to January, but only after fire the previous summer.[1] [2] [3]
Diuris emarginata was first formally described in 1810 by Robert Brown and the description was published in Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen.[4] [5] The specific epithet (emarginata) is a Latin word meaning "without margin" or "notched at the apex".[6]
The late donkey orchid occurs in winter-wet areas mainly between Augusta and Albany in the Jarrah Forest and Warren biogeographic regions.
Diuris emarginata is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.