Genoplesium superbum, commonly known as the Kangarooby midge orchid, is a species of small terrestrial orchid that is endemic to New South Wales. It has a single thin leaf and up to thirty two hairy, light reddish flowers which lean downwards and have a dark purple labellum.
Genoplesium systenum is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single thin leaf NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long with the free part NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long. Between twelve and thirty two light reddish flowers are arranged along a flowering stem NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long, reaching to a height of NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1. The flowers lean downwards and are about 6sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide. As with others in the genus, the flowers are inverted so that the labellum is above the column rather than below it. The dorsal sepal is broadly egg-shaped, about 3.5sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long, 2.5sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide and greenish with reddish-purple bands and hairy edges. The lateral sepals are linear to lance-shaped, about 5sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long, 1.5sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide, light reddish green and spread widely apart from each other. The petals are narrow egg-shaped, about 3sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long, 1sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide with hairy edges and a similar colour to the dorsal sepal. The labellum is narrow egg-shaped, dark purple, about 3.5sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and 1.5sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide with coarse, spreading hairs up to 1sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long on its edges. There is a dark purple callus in the centre of the labellum and covering about three-quarters of its surface. Flowering occurs from February to April.[1] [2] [3]
The Kangarooby midge orchid was first formally described in 1991 by David Jones and the description was published in Australian Orchid Research.[4] In 2002, Jones and Mark Clements changed the name to Corunastylis systena but that name is not accepted by the Australian Plant Census.[5] The specific epithet (systenum) derived from the Ancient Greek word systenos meaning "tapering to a point",[6] referring to the shape of the labellum of this orchid. (Kangarooby is a locality near Forbes.)
Genoplesium systenum grows below shrubs in forested ridges and slopes on the ranges near Cowra, including the Conimbla National Park and Weddin Mountains National Park.