Plant
With a long narrow, keeled leaf, somewhat erect and down curved.
Flowers
Blue to light or dark mauve to magenta. Column pale blue with a blackish purple saddle behind the arched, deeply cleft, yellow-edged top, tip tapered and strongly incurved. Column arms with short, erect tufts of white or pale mauve cilia.
Flowering
October - January.
Habitat
Lowland to montane, clay banks, forest or open scrub. Widespread, common.
Conservation
Widespread, common, not threatened.
Notes
There are several distinct forms, including T. “orange top”, T. “Ahipara”, T. “darkie”, T. “rough leaf” T. “sky”.
Key features
Column top distinctly notched, black with a strong yellow tip; leaves short, narrow, arching.