Prasophyllum suaveolens

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Fragrant 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. correctum
Binomial name
Prasophyllum correctum
D.L.Jones

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. [1]

Contents

Description

Prasophyllum suaveolens is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single tube-shaped, bright green leaf which is 150–200 mm (6–8 in) long and 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) wide near its reddish base. Between ten and twenty five strongly scented, green to yellowish-green flowers are loosely arranged along a flowering spike 50–100 mm (2–4 in) long, reaching to a height of 100–250 mm (4–10 in). As with other leek orchids, the flowers are inverted so that the labellum is above the column rather than below it. The dorsal sepal is linear to egg-shaped, 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) long, about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide, has reddish streaks and turns downward. The lateral sepals are linear to lance-shaped, 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) long, about 1 mm (0.04 in) wide and free from each other or joined near their base. The petals are narrow egg-shaped, about 4 mm (0.2 in) long, 1 mm (0.04 in) wide and upswept with reddish line along the centre. The labellum is lance-shaped to egg-shaped, 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) long, 1.5 mm (0.06 in) wide and is green to pinkish. It curves sharply upwards near it middle and has a slightly crinkled edge. There is a fleshy, green callus in its centre and extending as far its tip. Flowering occurs in October and November. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

Prasophyllum suaveolens was first formally described in 1994 by David Jones from a specimen collected near Lismore and the description was published in the journal Muelleria. [5] [2] The specific epithet (correctum) is a Latin word meaning "fragrant". [2] [6]

Distribution and habitat

The fragrant leek orchid grows in grassland and grassy woodland on basalt plains in inland areas, but once had a much wider distribution. [3] [4]

Conservation

In 2010, P. suaveolens was only known from eight population with a total of about 1500 plants but many populations occur on roadsides or in private property. Only two populations are conserved in reserves. The species is classed 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, road or rail maintenance activities and inappropriate fire regimes. [1]

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.

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 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 flavum</i> Species of orchid

Prasophyllum flavum, commonly known as the yellow leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to eastern Australia. It has a single tubular, green leaf with only a short free section and up to fifty scented, yellowish-green flowers.

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

Prasophyllum sphacelatum, commonly known as the subalpine leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single tubular, dull green leaf and up to eighteen scented, green to brownish flowers with a green to pinkish labellum. It grows in subalpine areas of New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania.

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 barnettii, commonly known as the Anglesea leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Victoria. It has a single tubular leaf and between twelve and thirty scented yellowish, reddish or brownish flowers and is only known from a small area in the south of the state.

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

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 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.

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

Prasophyllum colensoi is a species of orchid endemic to New Zealand where it is commonly known as the leek orchid. It has a single tubular, dark green leaf and up to twenty scented, yellowish-green to reddish-brown flowers. It is similar to P. hectori, the only other species of Prasophyllum found in New Zealand, but is distinguished from it by its smaller size, fewer flowers and different habitat.

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 incompositum is a species of orchid endemic to Queensland. It has a single tubular, dark green leaf and up to thirty scented, greenish-brown and white flowers. It has only been recorded from the Carnarvon National Park.

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 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 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.

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

Prasophyllum solstitium is a species of orchid endemic to the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales. It has a single tubular, bright green leaf and up to thirty five greenish-pink to purplish-red flowers crowded on the flowering stem. It grows in grassland on heavy basalt soil.

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 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 brevisepalum is a species of orchid endemic to New South Wales. It has a single tubular, shiny dark green leaf and up to thirty five scented, yellowish to brownish green and white flowers. It is only known from a single population growing in woodland near Inverell.

References

  1. 1 2 "Conservation advice - Prasophyllum suaveolens" (PDF). Australian Government Department of the Environment. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 Jones, David L. (1994). "New species of Orchidaceae from south-eastern Australia" (PDF). Muelleria. 8 (2): 184–185. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
  3. 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. 214. ISBN   1877069124.
  4. 1 2 Jeanes, Jeff. "Prasophyllum suaveolens". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
  5. "Prasophyllum suaveolens". APNI. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
  6. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 720.