Thelymitra albiflora, commonly called the white sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to South Australia. It has a single erect, narrow, fleshy leaf and up to ten relatively small white flowers with white toothbrush-like tufts on top of the anther.
Thelymitra albiflora is a tuberous, perennial herb with a single erect, channelled, green, linear to lance-shaped leaf NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide with a purplish base. Up to ten white or pale blue flowers NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide are borne on a flowering stem NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 tall. The sepals and petals are NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide. The column is white or pale blue, NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide. The lobe on the top of the anther is gently curved forwards and reddish brown with a thin purplish band and a yellow tip. The side lobes curve upwards and have long, toothbrush-like tufts of white hairs covering their tops. The flowers only open on warm to hot sunny days and then only slowly. Flowering occurs from September to November.[1] [2]
Thelymitra albiflora was first formally described in 2004 by Jeff Jeanes from a specimen collected in the Spring Gully Conservation Park and the description was published in Muelleria.[3] The specific epithet (albiflora) means "pale-flowered".[4]
The white sun orchid grows in the higher rainfall areas of South Australia in heath, forest and woodland.