Nervilia uniflora, commonly known as the red shield orchid,[1] is a small terrestrial orchid found in northern Queensland. It has a single short-lived, pink or mauve flower. A dark green, heart-shaped leaf emerges at the base of the flowering stem after flowering.
Nervilia uniflora is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, sympodial herb which grows in colonies with only a few individuals producing flowers in any one year. A single pink or mauve flower NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 long and wide are borne on a flowering stem NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 tall. The sepals are NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and about 3sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide and the petals are similar but slightly shorter and narrower. The labellum is pink to mauve, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long, NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 wide with three lobes, the middle lobe turned downwards. After flowering, a single heart-shaped leaf develops, including on those plants that did not flower. The leaf is dark green on the upper surface, reddish below, NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 wide and held horizontally above ground level. Flowering occurs between November and January.[2]
The red shield orchid was first formally described in 1866 by Ferdinand von Mueller who gave it the name Pogonia uniflora and published the description in Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae.[3] [4] In 1906 Rudolf Schlechter changed the name to Nervilia uniflora.[5] The specific epithet (uniflora) means "one-flowered".[6]
Nervilia uniflora occurs in north Queensland between Cooktown and Proserpine. It grows in woodland, forest and rainforest.