Prasophyllum colensoi

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Leek orchid
Prasophyllum colensoi kz05.jpg
Prasophyllum colensoi near Lake Tekapo
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Subtribe: Prasophyllinae
Genus: Prasophyllum
Species:
P. colensoi
Binomial name
Prasophyllum colensoi
Synonyms [1]

Prasophyllum colensoi is a species of orchid endemic to New Zealand where it is commonly known as the leek orchid. It has a single tubular, dark green leaf and up to twenty scented, yellowish-green to reddish-brown flowers. It is similar to P. hectori , the only other species of Prasophyllum found in New Zealand, but is distinguished from it by its smaller size, fewer flowers and different habitat.

Contents

Description

Prasophyllum colensoi is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single dark green, tube-shaped leaf 120–350 mm (5–10 in) long and 2–5 mm (0.08–0.2 in) wide with a whitish base. The free part of the leaf is 80–120 mm (3–5 in) long. Between five and twenty lightly scented flowers are crowded along a flowering spike 30–120 mm (1–5 in) long. The flowers are yellowish-green to reddish-brown and 10–11 mm (0.39–0.43 in) long. 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 is more or less egg-shaped, 6–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide. The lateral sepals are linear to lance-shaped, about the same size as the dorsal sepal or slightly narrower and almost parallel to each other. The petals are 6–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long, about 1.5 mm (0.06 in) wide and turned downwards. The labellum is egg-shaped to lance-shaped, 6–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long, about 4 mm (0.2 in) wide with its outer end turned upwards so that the tip often extends between the lateral sepals. There is a thick, fleshy callus in the centre of the labellum. Flowering occurs from October to March. [2] [3]

Taxonomy and naming

Prasophyllum colensoi was first formally described in 1853 by Joseph Dalton Hooker and the description was published in The botany of the Antarctic voyage of H.M. discovery ships Erebus and Terror in the Years 1839-1843 . [1] [4] The specific epithet (colensoi) honours William Colenso.

Distribution and habitat

This leek orchid is widespread on both the North and South Islands of New Zealand where it grows in grassland, between herbs and around the edge of bogs. [2] [3]

Related Research Articles

Prasophyllum correctum, commonly known as the gaping leek orchid or Bairnsdale leek orchid, is a species of orchid species endemic to a small region in Victoria. It has a single dark green, tube-shaped leaf and up to twenty strongly scented, yellowish-green flowers and is only known from railway reserves near Bairnsdale.

<i>Prasophyllum alpinum</i> Species of orchid

Prasophyllum alpinum, commonly known as the alpine leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Tasmania. It was formerly described as occurring in mainland Australia but has smaller flowers than the species occurring there. It has a single, tube-shaped leaf and up to fourteen green to greenish-brown flowers and grows in subalpine areas.

<i>Prasophyllum sphacelatum</i> Species of orchid

Prasophyllum sphacelatum, commonly known as the subalpine leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single tubular, dull green leaf and up to eighteen scented, green to brownish flowers with a green to pinkish labellum. It grows in subalpine areas of New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania.

Prasophyllum campestre, commonly known as the sandplain leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to eastern Australia. It has a single tubular, yellowish-green leaf and up to twenty greenish, strongly scented flowers with red, purplish, brown or white marks. It grows in the drier parts of Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.

<i>Prasophyllum odoratum</i> Species of orchid

Prasophyllum odoratum, commonly known as the fragrant leek orchid, Rogers scented leek orchid or sweet leek orchid is a species of orchid endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single tubular leaf and up to fifty fragrant green and white flowers with reddish marks.

Prasophyllum barnettii, commonly known as the Anglesea leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Victoria. It has a single tubular leaf and between twelve and thirty scented yellowish, reddish or brownish flowers and is only known from a small area in the south of the state.

<i>Prasophyllum dossenum</i> Species of orchid

Prasophyllum dossenum is a species of orchid endemic to a small area of northern New South Wales. It has a single tubular, dark green leaf and up to thirty scented pinkish-white and greenish-brown flowers crowded along an erect flowering stem. It is a rare orchid which grows in grassy places on the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales.

Prasophyllum fosteri, commonly known as the Shelford leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to a small region of Victoria. It has a single tubular green leaf and up to twenty five green to reddish-brown flowers. It is a very rare orchid, only known from a single population on a roadside.

Prasophyllum hectori, commonly known as the swamp leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to New Zealand. It has a single tubular, dark green leaf and up to eighty scented, yellow-green flowers with red or brown marking. It is similar to P. colensoi, the only other species of Prasophyllum found in New Zealand, but is distinguished from it by its larger size, larger number of flowers and swampy habitat.

Prasophyllum incorrectum, commonly known as the golfer's leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Tasmania. It has a single tubular, dark green leaf and up to twenty scented, yellowish-green and reddish-brown flowers. The largest population occurs on a golf course.

Prasophyllum litorale, commonly known as the coastal leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to southern continental Australia. It has a single tubular leaf and up to forty flowers with red and green colouring and grows in sandhills near the sea.

Prasophyllum niphopedium, commonly known as the marsh leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to a small area in Victoria. It has a single tubular leaf and up to twenty greenish flowers with reddish markings. It is only known from five population on grassy alpine plains with the total number of individual plants less than five hundred.

Prasophyllum olidum, commonly known as the pungent leek orchid is a species of orchid endemic to Tasmania. It has a single tubular, green to yellowish-green leaf and up to thirty bright green to brownish-green flowers. It is a very rare orchid, only found in a single location with a population which fluctuates from three to two hundred flowering plants.

Prasophyllum suaveolens, commonly known as the fragrant leek orchid, is a species of orchid species endemic to inland Victoria. It has a single bright green, tube-shaped leaf with a reddish base and up to twenty five green to yellowish-green flowers with red markings. The flowers are the smallest of any leek orchid found in Victoria.

Prasophyllum uvidulum, commonly known as the summer leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Victoria. It has a single, tubular leaf and up to twenty five scented, pale green flowers with reddish markings and is only known from a swamp in the north-east of the state.

Prasophyllum beatrix, commonly known as Marung leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to eastern Australia. It has a single tubular leaf and up to thirty five scented flowers with yellowish-green or purplish markings and is mainly confined to New South Wales.

Prasophyllum catenemum is a species of orchid endemic to South Australia. It has a single tubular leaf and up to twenty white and green to purplish flowers. It is only known from a small area of the coast of the state where it grows in shrubland which is often engulfed by unstable sand dunes.

Prasophyllum collinum is a species of orchid endemic to South Australia. It has a single tubular leaf and up to thirty lemon-scented, greenish brown and white flowers. It is only known from the Eyre Peninsula where it grows in sparse woodland.

<i>Genoplesium pumilum</i> Species of orchid

Genoplesium pumilum, commonly known as the green midge orchid in Australia, and the yellow gumland leek orchid in New Zealand is a small terrestrial orchid native to south-eastern Australia and New Zealand. It has a single thin leaf fused to the flowering stem and up to twenty five green to yellowish-green flowers which sometimes have red markings. Australian and New Zealand authorities use the name Corunastylis pumila.

Prasophyllum brevisepalum is a species of orchid endemic to New South Wales. It has a single tubular, shiny dark green leaf and up to thirty five scented, yellowish to brownish green and white flowers. It is only known from a single population growing in woodland near Inverell.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Prasophyllum colensoi". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  2. 1 2 Jones, David L. (1996). "Resolution of the Prasophyllum alpinum R.Br. (Orchidaceae) complex in mainland south-eastern Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand" (PDF). Muelleria. 9: 54–57. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  3. 1 2 de Lange, Peter J. "Prasophyllum colensoi". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  4. Hooker, Joseph Dalton (1853). The botany of the Antarctic voyage of H.M. discovery ships Erebus and Terror in the Years 1839-1843. London: Lovell Reeve. pp. 241–242. Retrieved 5 November 2017.