The Kangaloon Sun-orchid is a terrestrial orchid, with a green or purplish flower stem growing 20-56 cm high. The narrow fleshy leaf grows 15-35 cm long and 5-20 mm wide, and is green with a purplish base. The plant produces two to 15 dark blue flowers that are 15-32 mm across with darker longitudinal veins.
Kangaloon Sun Orchid |
Thelymitra kangaloonica
Status: Critically Endangered on the EPBC Act list
Government evidence of impact of climate change:
-
Australian Government, Conservation Advice, Thelymitra sp. Kangaloon
Threats The main identified threats associated with the Ecological Community in which the species occurs include inappropriate fire regimes; grazing; illegal collection; hydrology changes from road works; and drying out of swamps from climate change and suburban development.
-
Australian Government, Listing Advices, Thelymitra kangaloonica
Description of Threats Current threats associated with the endangered ecological community in which the Kangaloon Sun orchid occurs include inappropriate fire regimes; grazing by cattle; illegal collection; hydrology changes from road works; and drying out of swamps from climate change and suburban development.
Current threats to the endangered ecological community in which the Kangaloon Sun orchid occurs include inappropriate fire regimes; grazing; illegal collection; hydrology changes from road works; and drying out of swamps from climate change and suburban development.
As discussed under Criterion 1; current threats to the endangered ecological community in which the Kangaloon Sun orchid occurs include inappropriate fire regimes; grazing; illegal collection; hydrology changes from road works; and drying out of swamps from climate change and suburban development.
The current threats to the ecological community in which the Kangaloon Sun orchid occurs of inappropriate fire regimes; grazing; illegal collection; hydrology changes from road works; and drying out of swamps from climate change and suburban development; and the potential threats of long wall mining and pumping of water from the aquifer beneath the swamps for water supply purposes are likely to have an impact on this species.
The Committee accepts that the Kangaloon Sun orchid has a very restricted geographic distribution; which is precarious for the survival of the species due to the current threats to the Temperate Highland Peat Swamps on Sandstone endangered ecological community in which this species occurs of inappropriate fire regimes; grazing; illegal collection; hydrology changes from road works; and drying out of swamps from climate change and suburban development; and potential threats from long wall coal mining and pumping of the aquifer.