Common Name: Onion-Leaf Orchis

General Information

Microtis unifolia is a tuberous, terrestrial orchid growing 15 - 50cm tall.
The small tuber has been gathered from the wild for use as emergency food.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

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Range

E. Asia - from China, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines to southern Australia, New Zealand and the western Pacific.

Habitat

Open places such as on banks and in poor pastures in North, South, Stewart and Chatham Islands[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.30 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Microtis unifolia is found growing at low elevations in warm temperate areas, through the subtropics to higher elevations in the tropics.

The flowers have a powerful if sickly scent[].
Orchids are, in general, shallow-rooting plants of well-drained low-fertility soils. Their symbiotic relationship with a fungus in the soil allows them to obtain sufficient nutrients and be able to compete successfully with other plants. They are very sensitive to the addition of fertilizers or fungicides since these can harm the symbiotic fungus and thus kill the orchid[].

Edible Uses

Root[, , , ]. No more details are given. The tuber is small, around 4 - 7 x 3 - 6mm[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - surface sow, preferably as soon as it is ripe, in the greenhouse and do not allow the compost to dry out. The seed of this species is extremely simple, it has a minute embryo surrounded by a single layer of protective cells. It contains very little food reserves and depends upon a symbiotic relationship with a species of soil-dwelling fungus. The fungal hyphae invade the seed and enter the cells of the embryo. The orchid soon begins to digest the fungal tissue and this acts as a food supply for the plant until it is able to obtain nutrients from decaying material in the soil[]. It is best to use some of the soil that is growing around established plants in order to introduce the fungus, or to sow the seed around a plant of the same species and allow the seedlings to grow on until they are large enough to move.