Thelymitra variegata

Queen of Sheba
In Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne

Priority Two — Poorly Known Taxa (DEC)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Genus: Thelymitra
Species:
T. variegata
Binomial name
Thelymitra variegata
Synonyms
  • Macdonaldia variegata Lindl.
  • Thelymitra porphyrostica F.Muell.
  • Thelymitra variegata (Lindl.) F.Muell. var. variegata

Thelymitra variegata, commonly called Queen of Sheba, is a species of orchid in the family Orchidaceae and endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single erect, spiral, dark green leaf with a purplish base and up to five glossy, variegated reddish, purplish or violet flowers with darker spots and blotches and yellowish margins. There are two bright yellow or orange arms on the sides of the column.