Prasophyllum favonium

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Western leek orchid
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Subtribe: Prasophyllinae
Genus: Prasophyllum
Species:P. favonium
Binomial name
Prasophyllum favonium
D.L.Jones [1]

Prasophyllum favonium, commonly known as the western leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Tasmania. It has a single tubular leaf with a reddish base and between five and fifteen brownish flowers with a dark purple labellum. In 2000, the entire population was estimated to be less than forty mature plants in a very small area.

Endemism Ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location or habitat

Endemism is the ecological state of a species being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation, country or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. The extreme opposite of endemism is cosmopolitan distribution. An alternative term for a species that is endemic is precinctive, which applies to species that are restricted to a defined geographical area.

Tasmania island state of Australia

Tasmania is an island state of Australia. It is located 240 km (150 mi) to the south of the Australian mainland, separated by Bass Strait. The state encompasses the main island of Tasmania, the 26th-largest island in the world, and the surrounding 334 islands. The state has a population of around 526,700 as of March 2018. Just over forty percent of the population resides in the Greater Hobart precinct, which forms the metropolitan area of the state capital and largest city, Hobart.

Labellum (botany)

In botany, the labellum is the part of the flower of an orchid or Canna, or other less-known genera that serves to attract insects, which pollinate the flower, and acts as a landing platform for them.

Contents

Description

Prasophyllum favonium is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single tube-shaped leaf which is 120–280 mm (5–10 in) long and 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) wide with a reddish base. The free part of the leaf is 60–130 mm (2–5 in) long. Between five and fifteen flowers are crowded along a thin flowering spike 30–70 mm (1–3 in) long. The flowers are brownish, 11–13 mm (0.4–0.5 in) long and 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) wide with a dark purple labellum. 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 lance-shaped to narrow egg-shaped, 5–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and about 3 mm (0.1 in) wide and brownish with darker lines. The lateral sepals are linear to narrow lance-shaped 7–8 mm (0.28–0.31 in) long, about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide, erect and free from each other. The petals are linear to oblong, 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long and about 1.5 mm (0.06 in) wide. The labellum is dark purplish, about 5 mm (0.2 in) long and 3 mm (0.1 in) wide, turns upwards at about 90° near its middle, and has wavy edges. Flowering occurs in October and November. [2] [3] [4]

Perennial plant Plant that lives for more than two years

A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. Some sources cite perennial plants being plants that live more than three years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also widely used to distinguish plants with little or no woody growth from trees and shrubs, which are also technically perennials.

Deciduous trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally

In the fields of horticulture and botany, the term deciduous (/dɪˈsɪdʒuəs/) means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, after flowering; and to the shedding of ripe fruit.

Herbaceous plant Plant which has no persistent woody stem above ground

Herbaceous plants in Botany, frequently shortened to herbs, are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stem above ground. Herb has other meanings in cooking, medicine, and other fields. Herbaceous plants are those plants that do not have woody stems, they include many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials, they include both forbs and graminoids.

Taxonomy and naming

Prasophyllum favonium was first formally described in 1998 by David Jones and the description was published in Australian Orchid Research. [1] [2] The specific epithet (favonium) is a Latin word meaning "west wind", [5] referring to the cold westerly winds which occur frequently in this orchid's habitat. [2]

David Lloyd Jones is an Australian horticultural botanist and the author of a large number of books and papers, especially on Australian orchids.

Botanical name scientific name for a plant (or alga or fungus) (ICNafp)

A botanical name is a formal scientific name conforming to the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN) and, if it concerns a plant cultigen, the additional cultivar or Group epithets must conform to the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants (ICNCP). The code of nomenclature covers "all organisms traditionally treated as algae, fungi, or plants, whether fossil or non-fossil, including blue-green algae (Cyanobacteria), chytrids, oomycetes, slime moulds and photosynthetic protists with their taxonomically related non-photosynthetic groups ."

Latin Indo-European language of the Italic family

Latin is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. The Latin alphabet is derived from the Etruscan and Greek alphabets and ultimately from the Phoenician alphabet.

Distribution and habitat

The western leek orchid grows among shrubs in windswept, dense low heathland. It is found in five small areas in the Arthur-Pieman Conservation Area. [2] [4]

Arthur-Pieman Conservation Area Protected area in Tasmania, Australia

The Arthur – Pieman Conservation Area (APCA) stretches along the north-west coast of Tasmania, Australia and covers over 1,030 square kilometres (400 sq mi). Much of the reserve is between the Arthur River in the north, the Pieman River in the south and the Frankland and Donaldson Rivers to the east. It is a dynamic landscape which is being continually reshaped by wind, fire and water.

Conservation

Prasophyllum favonium is classified as Endangered under the Tasmanian Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 and as Critically Endangered under the Commonwealth Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) Act. The main threats to the species are land clearing, digging by animals, inappropriate fire regimes and trampling by grazing animals. [3] [4]

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 Act of the Parliament of Australia, currently registered as C2016C00777

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 is an Act of the Parliament of Australia that provides a framework for protection of the Australian environment, including its biodiversity and its natural and culturally significant places. Enacted on 17 July 2000, it established a range of processes to help protect and promote the recovery of threatened species and ecological communities, and preserve significant places from decline. The EPBC Act replaced the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1975.

Related Research Articles

Prasophyllum amoenum, commonly known as the dainty leek orchid or Snug leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Tasmania. It has a single tubular, green leaf with a purplish base and between five and twelve light green, dark brown and white flowers. In 2007, the entire population was estimated to be about 600 plants.

Prasophyllum apoxychilum, commonly known as the tapered leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Tasmania. It has a single tubular, green leaf with a purplish base and up to twenty light green and whitish flowers. It is very similar to P. truncatum, and there is some doubt as to whether the two species are distinct. The species is known from twenty widely separated populations and is usually only seen in disturbed sites, such as after fire.

<i>Prasophyllum wilkinsoniorum</i> species of plant

Prasophyllum wilkinsoniorum is a species of orchid endemic to New South Wales. It has a single tubular, bright green leaf and up to forty five scented, dark greenish-brown to brownish-red flowers with a green to pinkish labellum. It grows in grassy places in a restricted area on the Southern Tablelands.

<i>Prasophyllum canaliculatum</i> species of plant

Prasophyllum canaliculatum, commonly known as the channelled leek orchid or summer leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to a small area of southern New South Wales. It has a single tubular, bright green leaf and up to twenty five scented, greenish-red or brownish flowers on a flowering stem. It grows in woodland at altitudes around 1,000 m (3,000 ft) where only about two hundred plants survive.

Prasophyllum castaneum, commonly known as the chestnut leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Tasmania. It has a single tubular, dark green leaf with a dark purplish base and between ten and twenty chestnut coloured to dark brown flowers. In 2000, the entire population was estimated to be about fifty plants.

Prasophyllum crebriflorum, commonly known as the crowded leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Tasmania. It has a single tubular, dark green leaf with a purplish base and up to twenty five reddish-brown flowers. It is only known from four relatively small populations growing at high altitudes.

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 innubum, commonly known as the Brandy Mary's leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to a small region of New South Wales. It has a single tubular, bright green leaf and up to twenty brownish-green, white and purplish flowers. It is a very rare orchid with only about four hundred plants known.

Prasophyllum keltonii, commonly known as Kelton's leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to a small region of New South Wales. It has a single tubular, bright green leaf and up to twenty two scented, green, brownish-red or purplish flowers. It is a very rare orchid with only a few hundred plants known.

Prasophyllum milfordense is a species of orchid endemic to Tasmania. It has a single tubular, dark green leaf and up to thirty greenish-brown, white and purplish flowers. It is a very rare orchid, only found in a single location with a population of around 240 plants.

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 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 pulchellum, commonly known as the pretty leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Tasmania. It has a single tubular, green leaf and up to twelve light reddish-brown flowers with a cream-coloured to whitish labellum. It is widely distributed in Tasmania and only about 130 plants are known but it is difficult to locate in the low heath where it grows and more individuals may survive.

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 stellatum, commonly known as the Ben Lomond leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Tasmania. It has a single tubular, dark green leaf and up to twenty greenish-brown to brownish flowers with a white labellum. It is only known from two disjunct populations, at Ben Lomond and near Deloraine.

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.

<i>Prasophyllum tunbridgense</i> species of plant

Prasophyllum tunbridgense, commonly known as the Tunbridge leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Tasmania. It has a single tubular, bright green leaf and up to twenty five relatively large, green to light greenish-brown flowers with white petals and a large white labellum.

Prasophyllum atratum, commonly known as the Three Humock leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Tasmania. It has a single tubular, dark green leaf and up to twenty five brownish- to purplish-green flowers with a dark purplish labellum. It is only known from a single population of fewer than one thousand plants growing on Three Hummock Island.

Prasophyllum abblittiorum is a species of orchid endemic to Tasmania. It has a single tubular, green leaf and up to twelve yellowish green flowers with faint streaks. It is an unusual prasophyllum in that the labellum is not ornamented. Only about 100 plants are known, growing at two sites in the Arthur-Pieman Conservation Area.

<i>Prasophyllum basalticum</i>

Prasophyllum basalticum is a species of orchid endemic to New South Wales. It has a single tubular, dark green leaf and up to fifteen scented, greenish-brown to brownish-red flowers with a white and green labellum. It grows in grassy woodland on the Northern Tablelands.

References

  1. 1 2 "Prasophyllum favonium". APNI. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Jones, David L. (1998). "Contributions to Tasmanian Orchidology". Australian Orchid Research. 3 (6): 104–105.
  3. 1 2 "Conservation advice Prasophyllum favonium" (PDF). Australian Government Department of the Environment. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 "Threatened species listing statement - Western leek orchid (Prasophyllum favonium)" (PDF). Tasmanian Government Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
  5. ↑ Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 320.
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