Thelymitra peniculata, commonly called the trim sun orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to southern eastern Australia. It has a single long, erect, fleshy, channelled leaf and up to eighteen deep blue to purple self-pollinating flowers.
Thelymitra peniculata is a tuberous, perennial herb with a single erect, dark green, fleshy, channelled, linear leaf NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide with a purplish base. Up to eighteen deep blue to rich purple flowers NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide are arranged 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 pink or purplish, NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide. The lobe on the top of the anther is dark brown to blackish with a yellow tip, tubular and sharply curved with a notched tip. The side lobes curve upwards and have untidy, mop-like tufts of white hairs. Flowering occurs from September to November but the flowers are self-pollinating and only open on hot days.[1] [2] [3]
Thelymitra peniculata was first formally described in 2004 by Jeff Jeanes. The description was published in Muelleria from a specimen collected near Narrandera.[4] The specific epithet (peniculata) is derived from the Latin word peniculus meaning "brush"[5] referring to the loose, semi-erect tuft of hairs on the lateral lobes.
The trim sun orchid usually grows in a range of habitats from grassland to forest south from Mount Kaputar in New South Wales to the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, Tasmania and the Flinders Ranges in South Australia.[6]