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This article was published in Tararua Tramper November 2025
November in the hills with Michele Dickson and Chris Horne
Microtis unifolia agg.?
Maikaka, onion-leaved orchid, microtis
Origin of the botanical names – Microtis comes from the Greek words meaning ‘small’ and ‘ear,’ referring to the very short column; unifolia comes from the Latin words meaning ‘single’ and ‘flowered’. Microtis unifolia belongs to the Orchidaceae family. The genus Microtis is primarily found in Australia, with three species in Aotearoa, most indigenous.
Distribution and habitat - Microtis unifolia agg. is indigenous to Aotearoa. It grows in coastal to lowland areas in mainly disturbed or successional habitats in open spaces such as on banks and in poor pasture on Manawatawhi / Three Kings Island, Te Ika a Maui / North Island and Te Waipounamu / South Island, on Rakiura / Stewart Island and on Rekohu / Chatham Island. It is also found in Australia, Norfolk Island, New Caledonia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Japan and China. You may see it in lawn grass areas which are not often mowed.
Growth habit - It is a terrestrial, glabrous / hairless bright green to dark green colony-forming perennial herb, with just one leaf and one flower stalk / scape and flower per plant. When in flower the plant can be up to 1m tall. The leaf is semi-upright, 50-800 mm long, 1-3 mm wide, linear, green and slightly hairy. It usually overtops the flower. The slender, upright flower stalk is 10–300 mm tall, also green and a little more hairy than the leaf, especially near the base.
Reproduction – Many closely spaced flowers, 6 – 100, develop along the length of the stalk / scape. Each flower is about 4 mm diameter, green. One of the petal-like parts stands erect at the back of the flower forming a hood. The lip / labellum curves up and out like a tongue, with a waist in the middle. Flowering is from August to April. The fruit is an erect, broadly ovoid capsule / pod up to 8 mm long, brown when ripe. Fruits develop from October to June.
Uses - We have been unable to find any uses for onion-leaved orchid.
Where can you find Microtis unifolia agg.? Look for it in lawns and waste places, the Tararua, Remutaka and Aorangi Ranges, regional parks and western Wellington hills, Ōtari-Wilton’s Bush and Eastern Hutt hills.