Prasophyllum parviflorum

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Slender 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. parviflorum
Binomial name
Prasophyllum parviflorum

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.

Contents

Description

Prasophyllum parviflorum is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single tube-shaped leaf 200–350 mm (8–10 in) long and 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide. Between ten and thirty flowers are widely spaced along flowering stem 60–100 mm (2–4 in) long which reaches to a height of 300–400 mm (10–20 in). The flowers are greenish-brown to purplish and as with others in the genus, are inverted so that the labellum is above the column rather than below it. The ovary is oval-shaped and about 3 mm (0.1 in) long. The dorsal sepal is a tapering egg shape, about 5 mm (0.2 in) long and 2.5 mm (0.1 in) wide. The lateral sepals are lance-shaped, curved, about 5 mm (0.2 in) long, 1.5 mm (0.06 in) wide and fused at their bases. The petals are 4.5 mm (0.2 in) long, 1 mm (0.04 in) wide and curve forwards. The labellum is variably coloured, about 4 mm (0.2 in) long, 3 mm (0.1 in) wide and sharply upwards near its middle. There is a broad, fleshy, glossy callus along the centre of the labellum and extending nearly to its tip. Flowering occurs in October and November. [2] [3]

Taxonomy and naming

The slender leek orchid was first formally described in 1930 by Richard Sanders Rogers who gave it the name Prasophyllum hartii var. parviflorum and published the description in Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of South Australia from a specimen collected on Wilsons Promontory. [4] [5] In 1941, William Henry Nicholls raised the variety to species status. [1]

Distribution and habitat

Prasophyllum parviflorum grows in grassland and grassy areas in woodland east from French Island to the New South Wales border. Specimens collected in the west of the state may be P. suaveolens and small plants may, with further studies, be shown to be a separate species. [2] [3] [6]

Conservation

Prasophyllum parviflorum is listed as "Vulnerable" under the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 . [3]

Related Research Articles

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

Prasophyllum tadgellianum, commonly known as the alpine leek orchid, is a species of orchid native to the Snowy Mountains and Tasmania. It has a single stiff, erect leaf and up to twenty scented, greenish-brown or reddish-brown flowers crowded on a stout spike.

Prasophyllum australe, commonly known as the southern leek orchid or austral leek orchid, is a species of orchid and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single tubular, green leaf and up to fifty scented, greenish-brown flowers with red stripes.

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

Prasophyllum alpestre, commonly known as the mauve leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to eastern Australia. It has a single tubular, green leaf and up to twenty five scented, white, purplish and green flowers. It grows in subalpine parts of New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania.

Prasophyllum anticum, commonly known as the Pretty Hill leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Victoria. It has a single tubular, dark green leaf and between ten and twenty five scented, greenish-brown flowers and is only known from a small area in the south-west of the state.

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

Prasophyllum brevilabre, commonly known as the short-lip leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single tubular, green leaf and up to thirty small, greenish-brown flowers with a white labellum. The labellum is sharply turned back on itself so that its tip almost reaches its base.

<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.

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

Prasophyllum montanum, commonly known as the mountain leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to eastern Australia. It has a single tubular, green leaf and up to fifty scented, greenish to pinkish flowers. It grows in montane ecosystems at altitudes above 1,500 m (5,000 ft).

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.

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

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 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 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.

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

Prasophyllum patens, commonly known as the broad-lipped leek orchid or sandstone leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the Sydney region of New South Wales. It has a single tubular green leaf and up to thirty green to greenish-brown, lemon-scented flowers with a white labellum.

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 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.

Prasophyllum stygium, commonly known as the elfin leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Victoria. It has a single tube-shaped leaf and up to twenty greenish-brown flowers with a white labellum. It is a recently described plant, previously included with P. fitzgeraldii, but distinguished from that species by its greenish-brown flowers with their white labellum and narrower brown callus. It is only known from a single population of about thirty plants.

References

  1. 1 2 "Prasophyllum parviflorum". APNI. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  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. 211. ISBN   1877069124.
  3. 1 2 3 Jeanes, Jeff. "Prasophyllum parviflorum". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  4. "Prasophyllum hartii var. parviflorum". APNI. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  5. Rogers, Richard S. (1930). "Contributions to the orchidology of Papua and Australia". Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of South Australia. 54: 44. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  6. Jeanes, Jeff. "Prasophyllum aff. parviflorum". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 9 December 2017.