Peristylus banfieldii, commonly known as the yellow ogre orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to Tropical North Queensland. It has between four and six leaves near its base and up to fifty cup-shaped, cream-coloured to yellow flowers on a hairy flowering stem.
Peristylus banfieldii is a tuberous, perennial herb with between four and six leaves with wavy margins at its base. The leaves are NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide, the largest leaves uppermost. Between fifteen and fifty cream-coloured to yellow, cup-shaped flowers about 5sigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 long and 6sigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 wide are borne on a hairy flowering stem NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 tall. The dorsal sepal is about NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide, partly forming a hood over the column. The lateral sepals are a similar size to the dorsal sepal and spread widely apart from each other. The petals are NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 long and about 2sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide and are projected forwards. The labellum is NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long, NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 wide with its tip divided into three. Flowering occurs from January to March.[1]
The yellow ogre orchid was first formally described in 1906 by Frederick Manson Bailey from a specimen collected on Dunk Island by Edmund James Banfield and given the name Habenaria banfieldii. The description was published in the Queensland Agricultural Journal.[2] In 1981 Bill Lavarack changed the name to Peristylus banfieldii.[3] The specific epithet (banfieldii) honours the collector of the type specimen.
Peristylus banfieldii grows in moist places in open forest and on rainforest margins. It is found on Dunk Island, and near Mareeba and Cardwell.