Habenaria exilis, commonly known as the wispy rein orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to a small area in far north Queensland. It usually has two leaves at its base and up to fifteen tiny whitish flowers.
Habenaria exilis is a tuberous, perennial herb usually with two upright, dark green leaves, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide. Between seven and fifteen whitish flowers NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 wide are well-spaced along a flowering stem NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 tall. The dorsal sepal and petals overlap at their bases and form a hood over the column. The dorsal sepal is about 3sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and 2sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide. The lateral sepals are about 4sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long, 2sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide and spread nearly horizontally away from each other. The petals are about 2sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and 1.5sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide. The labellum is about 3sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and 6sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide and has three lobes. The side lobes are thread-like, about 4.5sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and arranged at about 90° to the middle lobe which is shorter and turns downwards. The labellum spur is white and green, about 5sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and parallel to the ovary. Flowering occurs between January and April.[1]
Habenaria exilis was first formally described in 1998 by David Jones from a specimen collected near Rossville by Lewis Roberts in 1993 and the description was published in The Orchadian.[2] The specific epithet (exilis) is a Latin word meaning "thin", "slender", "meager" or "poor ".[3]
The wispy rein orchid has a narrow distribution near Rossville where it grows with grasses in sparse woodland which is partly flooded in summer.