Gastrodia urceolata, commonly known as white potato orchid,[1] is a leafless terrestrial mycotrophic orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It has a pale brown, fleshy flowering stem and up to fifty five upright, white to pale brown flowers. It is only known from a single population near Atherton in Queensland.
Gastrodia urceolata is a leafless terrestrial, mycotrophic herb that has a slightly shiny, fleshy, pale brown flowering stem NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 tall. There are between ten and fifty upright white flowers which distinguish the species from other gastrodias in Australia. The sepals and petals are joined, forming a tube about NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long with spreading, warty tips about 2sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long. The labellum is about NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long, NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 wide with three lobes and completely enclosed in the tube. Flowering occurs from October to December and is followed by upright, urn-shaped capsules 6sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and wide.[2]
Gastrodia urceolata was first formally described in 1991 by David Jones from a specimen collected near Atherton in 1988. The description was published in Australian Orchid Research.[3] The specific epithet (urceolata) is derived from the Latin word urceus meaning "pitcher" or "urn"[4] referring to the shape of the capsule.
The white potato orchid is only known from a single population on the Atherton Tableland where it grows in forest.