Pterostylis australis

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Southern greenhood
Pterostylis australis kz07.jpg
Pterostylis australis
near Franz Josef Glacier, Westland
(New Zealand)
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Cranichideae
Genus: Pterostylis
Species:
P. australis
Binomial name
Pterostylis australis

Pterostylis australis, commonly known as the southern greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to New Zealand. Unlike many other greenhood orchids, this species lacks a rosette of leaves but instead only has leaves on the flowering stem. The leaf's shape differs according to it position on the stem and there is a single green and white-striped flower. This greenhood occurs on both of the main islands of New Zealand and often forms large colonies.

Contents

Description

Pterostylis australis is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and has between three and six leaves on the flowering stem. The leaves are 40–150 mm (2–6 in) long, 10–15 mm (0.4–0.6 in) wide, elliptic near the base trending to lance-shaped near the top of the stem. The flowering stem is 100–250 mm (4–10 in) tall and none of the leaves is taller than the single green and white-striped flower. The dorsal sepal and petals are fused, forming a hood or "galea" over the column. The dorsal sepal has a long-tapering, down-curved tip. The lateral sepals turn backwards and away from each other. The labellum is curved, dark green, reddish near the tip and arched along its mid-line. Flowering occurs from November to January. [2] [3]

Taxonomy and naming

Pterostylis australis was first formally described in 1853 by Joseph Dalton Hooker and the description was published in The Botany of the Antarctic Voyage of H.M. Discovery Ships Erebus and Terror in the years 1839–1843, under the Command of Captain Sir James Clark Ross . [1] [4] The specific epithet (australis) is a Latin word meaning "south". [5]

Distribution and habitat

This greenhood grows in scrub and tall forest, especially of Nothofagus . It occurs on both the North and South Islands of New Zealand as well as on Stewart Island. On the North Island, it only occurs south from near the East Cape and only on higher peaks. [2] [3]

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Pterostylis trullifolia, commonly known as the trowel-leaved greenhood, is an orchid species endemic to New Zealand. As with similar orchids, the flowering plants differ from those which are not flowering. The non-flowering plants have a rosette of wrinkled, trowel-shaped leaves but the flowering plants have a single flower with a bulging, platform-like sinus between the lateral sepals and leaves on the flowering spike.

<i>Pterostylis banksii</i> Species of orchid

Pterostylis banksii, commonly known as greenhood or tutukiwi, is a species of orchid endemic to New Zealand. Non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves. Flowering plants have leaves on the flowering stem, some of which reach above the single relatively large, green flower with translucent white stripes. It is the most common, widespread and largest New Zealand greenhood and is found on both of the main islands.

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<i>Pterostylis foliata</i> Species of orchid

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Pterostylis areolata is a species of orchid endemic to New Zealand. As with similar greenhoods, the flowering plants differ from those which are not flowering. The non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves flat on the ground but the flowering plants have a single flower with leaves on the flowering spike. This greenhood has green and translucent white-striped flowers similar to those of P. australis but the stem leaves are shorter and never higher than the flowers.

<i>Pterostylis brumalis</i> Species of orchid

Pterostylis brumalis, commonly known as the kauri greenhood or winter greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to New Zealand. There is a rosette of leaves at the base of both flowering and non-flowering plants. Flowering plants have a white flower with narrow green stripes and a dorsal sepal which bends forward strongly while the petals spread widely, giving the flower a cobra-like appearance.

<i>Pterostylis graminea</i> Species of orchid

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Pterostylis irwinii is a species of greenhood orchid endemic to New Zealand. Flowering plants have erect, linear leaves on the flowering stem while non-flowering plants have a rosette of egg-shaped leaves. There is a single green flower with translucent white stripes and reddish-brown tips.

Pterostylis micromega, commonly known as the swamp greenhood, is a species of greenhood orchid endemic to New Zealand. Both flowering and non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves while flowering plants also have a single, relatively large whitish flower with a pointed dorsal sepal. The flower colour and pointed dorsal sepal are unique in New Zealand Pterostylis.

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Pterostylis puberula, commonly known as the dwarf greenhood or snail greenhood is a species of orchid which is endemic to New Zealand. It has a rosette of pale yellowish, stalked leaves and a single silvery-white and green flower with relatively long, erect lateral sepals.

Pterostylis silvicultrix, commonly known as the Chatham Island greenhood or tutukiwi, is a species of orchid which is endemic to Chatham Island and nearby islands. Non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves but flowering plants have leaves on the flowering stem, some of which reach above the single translucent white flower with dark green stripes. It is similar to Pterostylis banksii which occurs on both of the main islands of New Zealand but that species lacks the orange or reddish-brown tips on the flowers of this species.

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

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<i>Genoplesium archeri</i> Species of orchid

Genoplesium archeri, commonly known as the elfin midge orchid and as Corunastylis archeri in Australia, is a small terrestrial orchid endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single thin leaf fused to the flowering stem and up to fifteen small, hairy, yellowish green flowers with purple stripes. It grows in a wide range of habitats in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania.

<i>Chiloglottis cornuta</i> Species of orchid

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Cyrtostylis rotundifolia, commonly known as the winter orchid or gnat orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to New Zealand. It has a single egg-shaped leaf and a flowering stem with up to four pink or pinkish green flowers with a flat, oblong labellum. It is very similar to Cyrtostylis oblonga and more investigation is required to determine if they are distinct from each other.

<i>Thelymitra pulchella</i> Species of orchid

Thelymitra pulchella, commonly called the striped sun orchid, is a species of orchid in the family Orchidaceae that is endemic to New Zealand. It has a single erect, fleshy, channelled leaf and up to fourteen blue flowers with darker stripes on the petal and sometimes also on the sepals. The column and its lobes are variable in shape and colour.

<i>Adenochilus gracilis</i> Species of flowering plant

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References

  1. 1 2 "Pterostylis australis". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  2. 1 2 de Lange, Peter James. "Pterostylis australis". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
  3. 1 2 "Pterostylis australis". New Zealand Native Orchid Group. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
  4. Hooker, Joseph Dalton (1853). "Flora Antarctica". The Botany of the Antarctic Voyage of H.M. Discovery Ships Erebus and Terror in the Years 1839–1843, Under the Command of Captain Sir James Clark Ross. 2: 248. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
  5. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 112.