Prasophyllum diversiflorum

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Gorae leek orchid
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Subtribe: Prasophyllinae
Genus: Prasophyllum
Species:
P. diversiflorum
Binomial name
Prasophyllum diversiflorum

Prasophyllum brevilabre, commonly known as the Gorae leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to south-western Victoria. It has a single tubular, green leaf and up to forty greenish-brown flowers with reddish markings. It is a very rare orchid, now only known from two small, scattered populations. It was first recorded from Gorae West near Portland but is no longer found there.

Contents

Description

Prasophyllum diversiflorum is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single tapering, tube-shaped leaf up to 450 mm (20 in) long and 4–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) wide at the base. Between ten and forty scented flowers are crowded along a flowering spike 80–150 mm (3–6 in) long. The flowers are up to 10 mm (0.4 in) wide and greenish-brown with reddish markings. 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 egg-shaped, up to 7 mm (0.3 in) long with a pointed tip. The lateral sepals are lance-shaped, 6–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long, curved and free from each other. The petals are narrow linear in shape and 6–9 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long. The labellum is egg-shaped, white to pinkish, dished and 6–9 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long. It is turns upward near its middle and its edges are wavy. Flowering occurs from December to January. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

Prasophyllum diversiflorum was first formally described in 1942 by William Henry Nicholls and published the description in The Victorian Naturalist from a specimen collected from Gorae West. [1] [5] Nicholls noted [this species] "is probably the most variable, in regard to the floral characters, on record...". [5]

Distribution and habitat

The Gorae leek orchid occurs in south-western Victoria, growing in grassland and sedgeland which is often flooded in winter. It is only known from two small populations 90 km (60 mi) apart. [2] [4]

Conservation

Prasophyllum diversiflorum is classified as Threatened under the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 and as Endangered under the Commonwealth Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) Act. The main threats to the species are weed invasion, grazing and trampling, vehicle movement and roadside maintenance. [4] [6]

Related Research Articles

Prasophyllum pyriforme, commonly known as the graceful leek orchid is a species of orchid species endemic to eastern Australia. It has a single tubular leaf and up to fifty greenish flowers with a pink or white labellum. As with others in the genus, the labellum is above the column rather than below it.

Prasophyllum concinnum, commonly known as the trim leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Tasmania. It has a single tubular leaf and green or yellowish-green flowers with brown markings. It was not seen after 1947, presumed to have gone extinct and listed as "rare" under the Tasmanian Government Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 but was rediscovered in 1992. Flowering of this orchid is dramatically stimulated by summer fires and the species is now known to be widespread in the state and has been removed from the Act.

Prasophyllum erythrocommum, commonly known as the tan leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Victoria. It has a single tubular green leaf and up to thirty small, greenish-brown to dark brown flowers. It is a very rare orchid, only known from a single small area north of Melbourne.

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.

<i>Prasophyllum frenchii</i> Species of plant

Prasophyllum frenchii, commonly known as the maroon leek orchid or swamp leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It has a single tubular green leaf and up to sixty five green, reddish-brown or red flowers. Formerly more widespread, it is now confined to seven populations containing a total of fewer than 1,000 plants.

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

Prasophyllum fuscum, commonly known as the slaty leek orchid or tawny leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to a small region of New South Wales. It has a single tubular green leaf and up to thirty greenish brown to reddish brown flowers. There is debate about the taxonomy of the species with some authorities considering Prasophyllum uroglossum as a separate species. Only about twenty five plants are known to survive in south-western Sydney.

Prasophyllum gilgai, commonly known as the gilgai leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Victoria. It has a single tubular green leaf and up to twenty greenish brown, light brown, pink or white flowers. It is a very rare orchid with a population of fewer than fifty plants in a small area in the north of the state.

Prasophyllum hygrophilum, commonly known as the swamp leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Victoria. It has a single tubular green leaf and up to thirty greenish brown, pink or mauve flowers. It is a rare orchid only known from two populations and is classified as "endangered" in Victoria.

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

Prasophyllum maccannii, commonly known as the inland leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Victoria. It has a single tubular green leaf and up to forty green, greenish-pink or brownish flowers. It is found in the central-west of the state, growing in open forest.

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

Prasophyllum morganii, commonly known as the Cobungra leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to a small area in Victoria. It has a single tubular leaf and up to eighty greenish flowers with purplish markings. Before being rediscovered in 2020, the plant had last been seen in 1933 and was presumed extinct.

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 pallidum, commonly known as the pale leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to a south-eastern South Australia. It has a single tubular leaf and up to thirty green or yellowish-green flowers. It was previously thought to occur in Victoria but records from that state are now recognised as P. roseum.

Prasophyllum parviflorum, commonly known as the slender leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to eastern Victoria. It has a single tubular leaf and up to thirty greenish-brown to purplish flowers. Further studies of the species may indicate that some collections currently included may be of a different species.

Prasophyllum perangustum, commonly known as the Knocklofty leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Tasmania. It has a single tubular, dark green leaf and up to fifteen greenish or light brown flowers with a white labellum. It is a very rare orchid with only six plants recorded in 1993.

Prasophyllum readii, commonly known as the Streathem leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Victoria. It has a single, tubular leaf and up to twenty five scented, greenish-brown to reddish-brown flowers with a white or pinkish labellum and is only known from a swamp in the south-west of the state.

Prasophyllum robustum, commonly known as the robust leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Tasmania. It has a single tubular, green leaf and up to thirty greenish-brown flowers with a white labellum. It is only known from a single population of about fifty plants, its numbers having been reduced by land clearing.

Prasophyllum spicatum, commonly known as the dense leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to southern mainland Australia. It has a single tubular, green leaf and up to fifty brownish and white or greenish and white flowers crowded in a cylinder-shaped spike.

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

Prasophyllum subbisectum, commonly known as the Pomonal leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Victoria. It has a single, thin tubular leaf and up to fifteen small, greenish-brown to brown flowers well-spaced along a thin flowering stem. It is only known from a small area around Stawell.

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

Prasophyllum suttonii, commonly known as the mauve leek orchid, Mount Buffalo leek orchid or Buffalo leek-orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the Australian Alps. Some authorities list the species as being a Victorian endemic now extinct whilst others list is as occurring in New South Wales and extant. Descriptions of the species also differ. It has a single tube-shaped leaf and up to thirty five white flowers with purple or mauve marks.

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.

References

  1. 1 2 "Prasophyllum diversiflorum". APNI. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  2. 1 2 Jeanes, Jeff. "Prasophyllum diversiflorum". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria - vicflora. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  3. Mayfield, Enid (2010). Flora of the Otway plain & ranges (2nd ed.). Collingwood, Victoria: CSIRO Publishing. p. 136. ISBN   9780643098046.
  4. 1 2 3 "Conservation advice - Prasophyllum diversiflorum" (PDF). Australian Government Department of the Environment. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  5. 1 2 Nicholls, William H. (1942). "Additions to the Orchidaceae of Victoria". The Victorian Naturalist. 59: 8–9. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  6. "Action statement: Gorae Leek Orch (Prasophyllum diversiflorum)" (PDF). Victorian Government Department of Sustainability and Environment. Retrieved 10 November 2017.