Slender sun orchid
Thelymitra pauciflora
Family: Orchidaceae
What it is like
An orchid. It grows 40-50 cm tall. It has a single furrowed leaf. This sheaths the base of the stem. The flower stems are slender and 20 cm long. The flowers are in a spike. The flowers are pink or blue and have 5 petals. The tubers are 3 cm long and 1 cm wide.
Where it is found
It is a subtropical plant. It grows in small colonies on the edge of the rainforest.
Countries/locations it is found in
Australia (country/location of origin), Tasmania
How it is used for food
The tuber is edible but this would kill the plant. They contain calcium oxalate so should be cooked and possibly the cooking water changed.
Edible parts
Tubers, root