slender sun-orchid

Thelymitra pauciflora is a terrestrial, tuberous herb growing up to 60 cm high when in flower. It has a single erect, fleshy leaf, 30 cm long by 6 mm wide, ribbed on the outer side and channelled on the inner. The leaf is tinged with purple, especially near the base and often spotted with rust. The flower stem has up to twelve flowers but only two or three open at a time. Each flower is 1.5–2.0 cm across, dark blue, mauve or magenta in colour in New Zealand but pale blue, rarely pink or white in Australia. The top of the column is yellow and the column arms have a mop-like tuft of white or mauve hairs. The flowers generally open only in warm weather. In Australia, flowers mostly appear from August to January and in New Zealand from November to January.

Thelymitra pauciflora occurs in the Australian Capital Territory and all states of Australia except Western Australia and Northern Territory. In Australia it grows in sclerophyll forest, woodland and heath. It also occurs in New Zealand where it grows in open areas amongst scrub, clay banks, open grassland and from lowlands to low montane.