Prasophyllum petilum

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Tarengo leek orchid
Prasophyllum petilum.jpg
Prasophyllum petilum growing in the Australian Capital Territory
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. petilum
Binomial name
Prasophyllum petilum
D.L.Jones & R.J.Bates [1]

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.

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.

Australia Country in Oceania

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and numerous smaller islands. It is the largest country in Oceania and the world's sixth-largest country by total area. The neighbouring countries are Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and East Timor to the north; the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu to the north-east; and New Zealand to the south-east. The population of 25 million is highly urbanised and heavily concentrated on the eastern seaboard. Australia's capital is Canberra, and its largest city is Sydney. The country's other major metropolitan areas are Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.

Contents

Caladenia petilum habit Prasophyllum petilum (habit).jpg
Caladenia petilum habit

Description

Prasophyllum petilum is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single tube-shaped, dark green leaf. The leaf has a purplish base and is 120–250 mm (5–10 in) long and 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) wide. Between five and eighteen, sometimes fragrant flowers are crowded along a flowering spike about 40–80 mm (2–3 in) long. The flowers are pinkish mauve to greenish and 5–7 mm (0.2–0.3 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 a narrow egg-shape to lance-shape, 5–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and about 3 mm (0.1 in) wide. The lateral sepals are about the same length as the dorsal sepal but narrower and joined to each other for about half their length. The petals are linear to lance-shaped and about 5 mm (0.2 in) long. The labellum is linear to egg-shaped, 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) long, turns upwards and has slightly wavy edges. There is a fleshy, yellowish-green callus in the centre of the labellum. Flowering occurs in late October and November. [2] [3]

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 petilum was first formally described in 1991 by David Jones and Robert Bates from a specimen collected at Hall Cemetery in the Australian Capital Territory and the description was published in Australian Orchid Research. [1] [3] The specific epithet (petilum) is a Latin word meaning "slender" or "thin", [4] referring the habit of this species. [3]

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

Hall Cemetery

The Hall Cemetery is a small rural cemetery in Canberra, the capital of Australia. It is located in Wallaroo Road, Hall, Australian Capital Territory.

Australian Capital Territory Federal territory of Australia, containing the capital city, Canberra

The Australian Capital Territory, formerly known as the Federal Capital Territory until 1938 and commonly referred to as the ACT, is a federal territory of Australia containing the Australian capital city of Canberra and some surrounding townships. It is located in the south-east of the country and enclaved within the state of New South Wales. Founded after federation as the seat of government for the new nation, all important institutions of the Australian federal government are centred in the Territory.

Distribution and habitat

The Tarengo leek orchid grows in grassland and grassy woodland, often growing in colonies when not subject to grazing. It has been recorded at Hall, Boorowa, Ilford, Delegate, near Queanbeyan and Muswellbrook. [5]

Hall, Australian Capital Territory Town in Australian Capital Territory

Hall is a township in the north of the Australian Capital Territory, Australia. At the 2016 census, the village had a population of 271 people. It is surrounded by open country and has a rural appearance. Hall has retained a village character. The township features historic buildings that existed before the establishment of Canberra.

Boorowa Suburb of Hilltops Council, New South Wales, Australia

Boorowa is a farming village in the Hilltops Region and is located in South West Slopes of New South Wales, Australia. At the 2011 census, Boorowa had a population of 1,211 people. It is located in a valley 340 kilometres (210 mi) west of Sydney and 487 metres (1,598 ft) above sea-level. The town is in Hilltops Council local government area.

Ilford, New South Wales Town in New South Wales, Australia

Ilford is a small town in New South Wales, Australia, in the Mid-Western Regional Council. It is named after the small English town of Ilford, where the founders of this town came from. It is situated around 220 km north west of Sydney. It is located on the Castlereagh Highway, which is locally referred to as Sydney Road. The Bathurst-Ilford Road joins the Castlereagh Highway on the northern outskirts of town and the Bylong Valley Way to the upper Hunter Region via Kandos, Rylstone and Bylong joins the Castlereagh Highway 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) north of town.

Conservation

Prasophyllum petilum is classified as Endangered under the New South Wales Threatened Species Conservation Act and the Commonwealth Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) Act. [5] [6]

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

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

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.

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.

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

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 lindleyanum</i> species of plant

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.

<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.

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.

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.

Prasophyllum limnetes, commonly known as the marsh leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Tasmania. It has a single tubular, green leaf and up to thirty five greenish-white flowers with a pinkish labellum. It is only known from a population of fewer than twenty plants growing in a sanctuary near Port Sorell.

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 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 rostratum, commonly known as the slaty leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Tasmania. It has a single tubular leaf and up to twenty five well-spaced, greenish-brown flowers. It is similar to P. pyriforme from mainland Australia but lacks that species' white to pinkish labellum.

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 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.

<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.

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

Prasophyllum viretrum is a species of orchid endemic to Victoria. It has a single tubular, dark green leaf and up to thirty five scented, greenish-brown to brownish flowers and is only known from a few small populations in south-western 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 crassum is a species of orchid endemic to South Australia. It has a single tube-shaped leaf and up to fifteen greenish and pinkish-brown flowers with a whitish labellum. It is a recently described plant, previously included with P. fitzgeraldii, but distinguished from that species by its smaller number of smaller, less colourful flowers and different labellum shape. It grows in the south-east of the state and usually only appears after fire.

References

  1. 1 2 "Prasophyllum petilum". APNI. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  2. Bernhardt, Peter; Rowe, Ross. "Prasophyllum petilum". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney - plantnet. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 Jones, David L.; Bates, Robert John (1991). "New taxa of Australian Orchidaceae". Australian Orchid Research. 2: 80.
  4. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 791.
  5. 1 2 "Tarengo leek orchid profile". New South Wales Government Office of Environment and Heritage. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  6. "National recovery plan for the Tarengo leek orchid Prasophyllum petilum" (PDF). Australian Government Department of the Environment. Retrieved 16 October 2017.