Prasophyllum occidentale

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Plains 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. occidentale
Binomial name
Prasophyllum occidentale

Prasophyllum occidentale, commonly known as the plains leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to southern continental Australia. It has a single tubular leaf and up to twenty five small, pale yellowish-green flowers. It is found in South Australia and Victoria although regarded by some taxonomists as a South Australian endemic.

Contents

Description

Prasophyllum occidentale is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single tube-shaped leaf 100–250 mm (4–10 in) long and 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) wide at the base. Between seven and twenty five flowers are arranged along a flowering spike 60–110 mm (2–4 in) long reaching to a height of 150–300 mm (6–10 in). The flowers are pale yellowish-green, 12–15 mm (0.5–0.6 in) long and 7–10 mm (0.3–0.4 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 is lance-shaped to egg-shaped, 7–8 mm (0.28–0.31 in) long and about 3 mm (0.1 in) wide. The lateral sepals are 7–8.5 mm (0.28–0.33 in) long, about 1.5 mm (0.06 in) wide, free and more or less parallel to each other. The petals are linear to lance-shaped, 6–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long, about 1.5 mm (0.06 in) wide and curve forwards. The labellum is lance-shaped to egg-shaped, 4.5–5.5 mm (0.18–0.22 in) long, about 3.5 mm (0.1 in) wide and turns sharply upwards near its middle. The upturned part has crinkled edges and there is a raised, shiny green or brownish callus in the centre of the labellum and extending almost to its tip. Flowering occurs from August to October. [2] [3]

Taxonomy and naming

Prasophyllum occidentale was first formally described in 1908 by Richard Sanders Rogers and the description was published in Transactions, proceedings and report, Royal Society of South Australia . [1] [4] The specific epithet (occidentale) is a Latin word meaning "western". [5]

Distribution and habitat

The plains leek orchid grows in grassy places and in shrubland and is common and widespread, mostly in the west of South Australia. [2] It is less common in Victoria, occurring in the south-west of that state. Some authorities regard this species as a South Australian endemic, and collections in Victoria to be of a closely related, as yet undescribed species. [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 petilum</i> Species of orchid

Prasophyllum petilum, commonly known as the Tarengo leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to eastern Australia. It has a single tubular, green leaf and up to eighteen pinkish mauve to greenish flowers, well-spaced along a slender flowering stem. It is a small orchid, difficult to locate, generally growing in taller grasses.

Prasophyllum campestre, commonly known as the sandplain leek orchid, or inland 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 candidum, commonly known as the Kiandra leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to eastern Australia. It has a single tubular, yellowish-green leaf and up to forty scented, bright white to greenish flowers. It grows in subalpine areas at altitudes above 1,000 m (3,000 ft) in New South Wales and Victoria although in the latter state it is considered to be a form of P. odoratum.

Prasophyllum laxum, commonly known as the lax leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to a small region of South Australia. It has a single tubular leaf and up to twenty pale green, tan and lilac-coloured flowers. It was first collected in the 1960s in a location known as the Hundred of Koppio on the Eyre Peninsula but was not described until 2008 from a new collection in 2004.

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 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 retroflexum, commonly known as the congested leek orchid or Kiandra leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to a small area near the border between New South Wales and Victoria, growing in subalpine herbfields. It has a single tubular leaf and up to forty densely-crowded, pale green flowers with pinkish markings.

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 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 validum, commonly known as the Mount Remarkable leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to South Australia. It has a single tubular leaf and up to forty five green to yellowish-green flowers with a white labellum. A similar leek orchid occurring in Victoria, previously included in this species, is known recognised as the undescribed Prasophyllum sp. aff. validum.

Prasophyllum fitzgeraldii, commonly known as FitzGerald's leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to South Australia. It has a single tube-shaped leaf and up to thirty five green or reddish-brown flowers with a pink to purple labellum. It was previously thought to also occur in Victoria.

Prasophyllum roseum, commonly known as the pink lip leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to southern continental Australia. It has a single tube-shaped leaf and up to thirty greenish flowers with a pink labellum. It is a recently described plant, previously included with P. fitzgeraldii, but distinguished from that species by its smaller, less crowded flowers, with more spreading lateral sepals and different labellum callus. It grows in the south-east of South Australia and in western Victoria.

Prasophyllum spadiceum, commonly known as the brown lip leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to southern continental Australia. It has a single tube-shaped leaf and up to thirty pale green, brown and white flowers with a whitish labellum. It is a recently described plant, previously included with P. fitzgeraldii, but distinguished from that species by its smaller, paler flowers, whitish labellum and brown callus. It grows in the south-east of South Australia and in a single location in western Victoria.

Prasophyllum nitidum, commonly known as the shining leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to southern continental Australia. It has a single tube-shaped leaf and up to twenty maroon, magenta or purple and green flowers with a pale purple to maroon labellum. It is a recently described plant, previously included with P. fitzgeraldii, but distinguished from that species by its shorter flower spike, glossy flowers and shining, raised labellum callus. It grows in the south-east of South Australia and in a single location in western Victoria.

Prasophyllum beatrix, commonly known as the 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 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.

Prasophyllum pilligaense is a species of orchid endemic to New South Wales. It has a single tubular, shiny dark green leaf and up to thirty scented greenish brown to brownish and white flowers. It is only known from a few populations in the Coonabarabran district.

References

  1. 1 2 "Prasophyllum occidentale". APNI. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  2. 1 2 Jones, David L. (2006). A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. p. 210. ISBN   1877069124.
  3. 1 2 Jeanes, Jeff. "Prasophyllum occidentale". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  4. ↑ Rogers, Richard S. "Description of a new species of orchid". Transactions, Proceedings and Report,Royal Society of South Australia. 32: 11. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  5. ↑ Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 853.
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