Christmas leek orchid | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Order: | Asparagales |
Family: | Orchidaceae |
Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
Tribe: | Diurideae |
Subtribe: | Prasophyllinae |
Genus: | Prasophyllum |
Species: | P. brownii |
Binomial name | |
Prasophyllum brownii | |
Synonyms [1] | |
Prasophyllum brownii, commonly known as the Christmas leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is one of the last of the genus in Western Australia to flower and has a tall flowering stem with up to eighty pale green and fawn-coloured flowers.
Prasophyllum brownii is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single smooth, light green, tube-shaped leaf 600–1,000 mm (20–40 in) long and 5–15 mm (0.2–0.6 in) in diameter near the base. Between thirty and eighty or more flowers are arranged on a flowering spike 400–1,200 mm (20–50 in) high. The flowers are light green, white and fawn-coloured, 10–15 mm (0.4–0.6 in) long and 10–12 mm (0.4–0.5 in) wide. As with others in the genus, the flowers are inverted so that the labellum is above the column rather than below it. The dorsal sepal curves upwards and the petals face forwards, giving the flowers a cup-shaped appearance. The lateral sepals are erect and joined to each other by their sides. The labellum is broad, turns upwards but not as sharply as in other leek orchids, and has a frilly edge. Flowering occurs from November to January. [3] [4]
Prasophyllum brownii was first formally described in 1871 by Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach and the description was published in Beitrage zur Systematischen Pflanzenkunde . [1] [5] The specific epithet (brownii) honours the naturalist Robert Brown who collected the type specimen near Albany in 1801. [4]
The Christmas leek orchid grows in a wide range of habitats, including wet areas, forest and woodland and is often found growing on rotting logs and stumps. It occurs between Perth and Esperance. [4] [3] [6]
This orchid is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife. [6]
Caladenia saccharata, commonly known as sugar orchid, is a species of flowering plant in the orchid family, Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single leaf and a single flower with three white sepals and two similar petals.
Caladenia barbarossa, commonly known as the common dragon orchid is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It can be distinguished by its distinctive labellum which is attractive to species of male thynnid wasps.
Caladenia huegelii, commonly known as the grand spider orchid is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single, hairy leaf and up to three relatively large red, green and cream-coloured flowers which have "split-hairs" on the sides of the labellum.
Caladenia lindleyana, commonly known as the Lindley's spider orchid is a species of orchid endemic to Tasmania. It has a single, hairy leaf and one or two greenish-yellow flowers tinged with red and with thin dark tips on the sepals. Very few plants of this species survive with only one plant, which has not been seen since 1997, protected in a reserve.
Caladenia multiclavia, commonly known as the lazy spider orchid is a species of orchid, endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single, hairy leaf and one or two greenish-yellow, red and cream-coloured flowers resembling a reclining spider. Although it usually only has a single flower, it often grows in clumps of up to six plants.
Prasophyllum sargentii, commonly known as the frilled leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a tall orchid with a single smooth, tubular leaf and up to thirty or more purplish and white or golden brown and white flowers with a frilled labellum.
Prasophyllum fimbria, commonly known as the fringed leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a tall orchid with a single smooth, tube-shaped leaf and up to seventy greenish-brown flowers with a white and pink labellum.
Prasophyllum lindleyanum, commonly known as the green leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single smooth, tube-shaped leaf and up to twenty scented, greenish flowers with a greenish or white labellum with a pink tinge.
Prasophyllum cucullatum, commonly known as the hooded leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a tall orchid with a single smooth, tubular leaf and up to fifty or more purplish-red and white flowers with a frilled labellum crowded along a relatively short flowering stem.
Prasophyllum cyphochilum, commonly known as the pouched leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a relatively common orchid with a single smooth, tubular leaf and up to thirty or more pale yellow and brown flowers. The flowers do not open fully, are more or less cup-shaped and have a "humped" labellum.
Prasophyllum drummondii, commonly known as the swamp leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a late-flowering species with a single tubular leaf and up to thirty brownish-orange or pale yellow flowers and often grows in standing water.
Prasophyllum gibbosum, commonly known as the humped leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a late-flowering leek orchid with a single smooth, tubular leaf and up to eighty or more purplish-red and white flowers with a smooth labellum. It is similar to P. cucullatum but that species has a frilly labellum, usually a shorter flowering stem and an earlier flowering period.
Prasophyllum hians, commonly known as the yawning leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a common, tall leek orchid with a single smooth, tubular leaf and up to fifty or more pink and fawn flowers with a frilly labellum.
Prasophyllum odoratissimum, commonly known as the scented leek orchid or fragrant leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Western Australia. It has a single smooth, tubular leaf and up to thirty or more scented, greenish, white and fawn-coloured flowers with a labellum which is often bent backwards. It was formerly included in Prasophyllum odoratum.
Prasophyllum ovale, commonly known as the little leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small leek orchid with a single smooth, tubular leaf and up to twenty or more white, green and brown flowers with the labellum only slightly upturned.
Prasophyllum plumiforme, commonly known as the dainty leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small leek orchid with a single smooth, tubular leaf and up to fifty or more tiny cream-coloured or greenish-yellow flowers on a tall flowering stem.
Prasophyllum regium, commonly known as the king leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single, unusually thick tubular leaf and up to one hundred relatively large, greenish-brown or burgundy-coloured flowers. It is one of the tallest leek orchids, sometimes growing to a height of 2 m (7 ft).
Microtis brownii, commonly known as the sweet mignonette orchid or sweet onion orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a single hollow, onion-like leaf and up to sixty small, green and white scented flowers well-spaced along the flowering stem. It usually grows in swampy places, flowers more prolifically after summer fires and sometimes forms very large colonies.
Thelymitra benthamiana, commonly called the leopard sun orchid or blotched sun orchid, is a species of orchid in the family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Australia. It has a single leathery leaf and up to ten yellowish green flowers with brownish spots, blotches and patterns. The column is yellow with deeply fringed wings and the lobe on top of the anther has a large lump on its top.
Habenaria propinquior, commonly known as the common rein orchid, is a species of orchid that is endemic to north Queensland. It has two to four leaves at its base and up to thirty white flowers with thread-like lobes on the labellum.