Peristeranthus
Introduction '''''Peristeranthus hillii''''', commonly known as the '''beetle orchid''' or '''brown fairy-chain orchid''' is the only species in the genus '''''Peristeranthus''''' from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. It is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid with more or less pendulous stems, between three and ten widely spaced, leathery leaves and a large number of pale green, often spotted flowers. It mainly grows on tree trunks and thick vines in rainforest and is found between the Bloomfield River in Queensland and Port Macquarie in New South Wales.
Description ''Peristeranthus hillii'' is an epiphytic or lithophytic herb with one or two shoots and more or less pendulous stems  long. Each stem has between three and ten narrow oblong leaves  long and  wide. The leaves have many parallel veins, a drooping tip and are often twisted. Between twenty five and seventy five pale green flowers often with crimson markings,  long and  wide are borne on pendulous flowering stems  long. The sepals and petals spread widely apart from each other and are about  long and  wide. The labellum is yellow with red spots, about  long,  wide with three lobes. The side lobes are triangular and the middle lobe has a hollow, tapered spur. Flowering occurs from September to October.
Taxonomy and naming The beetle orchid was first formally described in 1859 by Ferdinand von Mueller who gave it the name ''Saccolabium hillii'' and published the description in ''Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae'' from a specimen collected by Walter Hill near Moreton Bay. In 1954, Trevor Edgar Hunt changed the name to ''Peristeranthus hillii''. The genus name, ''Peristeranthus'' means "dove flower", and the specific epithet (''hillii'') honours the collector of the type specimen.
Distribution and habitat ''Peristeranthus hillii'' mainly grows on three trunks and vines in highland rainforest in the tropics and in coastal and near-coastal areas in subtropical regions. It is found between the Bloomfield River in Queensland and Port Macquarie in New South Wales.
Conservation This orchid is listed as vulnerable under the New South Wales Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995.The main threats to the species are habitat loss, storm damage, inappropriate fire regimes and illegal collecting.
See also * List of Orchidaceae genera
References