Pterostylis dubia

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Blue-tongued greenhood
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Cranichideae
Genus: Pterostylis
Species:
P. dubia
Binomial name
Pterostylis dubia

Pterostylis dubia, commonly known as the blue-tongued greenhood, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Tasmania. It has a rosette of fleshy leaves at its base and a dark green and white flower with narrow petals and a dark blue-green labellum.

Orchidaceae family of plants

The Orchidaceae are a diverse and widespread family of flowering plants, with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant, commonly known as the orchid family.

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.

Tasmania island state of Australia

Tasmania is an island state of Australia. It is located 240 km (150 mi) to the south of the Australian mainland, separated by Bass Strait. The state encompasses the main island of Tasmania, the 26th-largest island in the world, and the surrounding 334 islands. The state has a population of around 526,700 as of March 2018. Just over forty percent of the population resides in the Greater Hobart precinct, which forms the metropolitan area of the state capital and largest city, Hobart.

Contents

Description

Pterostylis dubia, is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber. It has a rosette of leaves which are 15–60 mm (0.6–2 in) long, 8–20 mm (0.3–0.8 in) wide and have a stalk. Flowering plant have a single dark green and white flower 20–26 mm (0.8–1 in) long and 9–12 mm (0.4–0.5 in) wide is borne on a flowering stem 80–200 mm (3–8 in) tall with stalkless stem leaves. The dorsal sepal and petals are joined, forming a hood called the "galea" over the column. The petals are not flared and are similar in length to the dorsal sepal which ends in a point. There is a wide gap at each side of the flower between the galea and the lateral sepals. The lateral sepals are erect and have a tapering tip, 14–22 mm (0.6–0.9 in) long, only slightly taller than the galea and there is a notch in the bulging sinus between them. The labellum is 13–17 mm (0.5–0.7 in) long, about 3 mm (0.1 in) wide, dark bluish-green, curved and protrudes prominently above the sinus. Flowering occurs from November to January. [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

Pterostylis dubia was first formally described in 1810 by Robert Brown and the description was published in Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen . [1] [4] The specific epithet (dubia) is a Latin word meaning "wavering", "uncertain" or "doubtful". [5]

Robert Brown (botanist, born 1773) Scottish botanist

Robert Brown FRSE FRS FLS MWS was a Scottish botanist and palaeobotanist who made important contributions to botany largely through his pioneering use of the microscope. His contributions include one of the earliest detailed descriptions of the cell nucleus and cytoplasmic streaming; the observation of Brownian motion; early work on plant pollination and fertilisation, including being the first to recognise the fundamental difference between gymnosperms and angiosperms; and some of the earliest studies in palynology. He also made numerous contributions to plant taxonomy, notably erecting a number of plant families that are still accepted today; and numerous Australian plant genera and species, the fruit of his exploration of that continent with Matthew Flinders.

Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen is a flora of Australia written by botanist Robert Brown and published in 1810. Often referred to as Prodromus Flora Novae Hollandiae, or by its standard botanical abbreviation Prodr. Fl. Nov. Holland., it was the first attempt at a survey of the Australian flora. It described over 2040 species, over half of which were published for the first time.

Botanical nomenclature is the formal, scientific naming of plants. It is related to, but distinct from taxonomy. Plant taxonomy is concerned with grouping and classifying plants; botanical nomenclature then provides names for the results of this process. The starting point for modern botanical nomenclature is Linnaeus' Species Plantarum of 1753. Botanical nomenclature is governed by the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN), which replaces the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (ICBN). Fossil plants are also covered by the code of nomenclature.

Distribution and habitat

The blue-tongued greenhood grows in wet forest at altitudes above 500 m (1,600 ft) in central and southern Tasmania. [2] [3]

Related Research Articles

<i>Pterostylis nutans</i> species of plant

Pterostylis nutans, commonly known as the nodding greenhood or the parrot's beak orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to eastern Australia. Nodding greenhoods have flowers which "nod" or lean forwards strongly, have a deeply notched sinus and a curved, hairy labellum.

<i>Pterostylis curta</i> species of plant

Pterostylis curta, commonly known as the blunt greenhood, is a species of orchid found in south-eastern Australia, Lord Howe Island and New Caledonia. It has a rosette of leaves at its base and a single white and green, forward leaning flower with a brown tip and a twisted labellum.

<i>Pterostylis grandiflora</i> species of plant

Pterostylis grandiflora, commonly known as the cobra greenhood or superb greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to south-eastern Australia. As with similar orchids, the flowering plants differ from those which are not flowering. The non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves but the flowering plants lack a rosette and have a single flower with leaves on the flowering spike. This greenhood has a green and white, striped flower with deep red-brown markings especially on its "galea", and a sharply pointed dorsal sepal.

<i>Pterostylis obtusa</i> species of plant

Pterostylis obtusa, commonly known as the blunt-tongue greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to New South Wales. It is distinguished from similar greenhood orchids by its thick, flat, platform-like sinus and blunt labellum which is only just visible above the sinus.

<i>Pterostylis longifolia</i> species of plant

Pterostylis longifolia, commonly known as the common leafy greenhood or tall greenhood, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. Flowering plants have up to seven flowers which are green, partly transparent and which have a labellum which is pale green and hairy with a blackish central stripe. Non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves but flowering plants lack the rosette, instead having five to eight stem leaves. A similar species, Pterostylis melagramma has paler green flowers which have a less hairy labellum.

<i>Pterostylis acuminata</i> species of plant

Pterostylis acuminata, commonly known as the sharp greenhood or pointed greenhood is a species of orchid endemic to eastern Australia. It has a rosette of leaves and a single green and white flower, leaning forward with a brown point on the end of the labellum.

<i>Pterostylis atrans</i> species of plant

Pterostylis atrans, commonly known as the dark-tip greenhood or blunt-tongue greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to south-eastern Australia. As with similar greenhoods, plants in flower differ from those that are not flowering. The non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves flat on the ground, but the plants in flower have a single flower with leaves on the flowering spike. In this species, the flower is green and reddish brown with a protruding sinus and small club-like tips on the ends of the lateral sepals.

<i>Pterostylis concinna</i> species of plant

Pterostylis concinna, commonly known as the trim greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to south-eastern Australia and which usually grows in colonies. It has a rosette of leaves at the base and a single dark green, white and orange-red flower.

<i>Pterostylis cucullata</i> species of plant

Pterostylis cucullata, commonly known as the leafy greenhood, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a rosette of fleshy leaves at its base and a single white, green and reddish-brown flower.

<i>Pterostylis foliata</i> species of plant

Pterostylis foliata, commonly known as the slender greenhood, is a species of orchid widespread in south-eastern Australia and New Zealand. Flowering plants have a rosette of three to six, dark green, crinkled leaves crowded around the flowering stem and a single dark green and brown flower with a deep V-shaped sinus between the lateral sepals.

<i>Pterostylis nana</i> species of plant

Pterostylis nana, commonly known as the dwarf snail orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Australia. It has a rosette of leaves at it base and a single narrow, bright green and white flower with a small labellum. There is uncertainty about its classification - some sources include South Australia and Western Australia in its range.

<i>Pterostylis parviflora</i> species of plant

Pterostylis parviflora, commonly known as the tiny greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to south-eastern Australia. As with similar orchids, the flowering plants differ from those which are not flowering. The non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves but the flowering plants lack a rosette at the base but have up to eight tiny green, white and brown flowers.

<i>Pterostylis pedunculata</i> species of plant

Pterostylis pedunculata, commonly known as the upright maroonhood, is a species of orchid endemic to south-eastern Australia. Flowering plants have a rosette of two to six stalked leaves and a single green flower which is white near its base and tinged with reddish brown to black and with a gap between the petals and lateral sepals. It is common and widespread in a range of habitats.

<i>Pterostylis revoluta</i> species of plant

Pterostylis revoluta, commonly known as the autumn greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to south-eastern Australia. 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 white and green flowers which have a long, curved, pointed labellum which extends beyond the sinus between the lateral sepals.

<i>Pterostylis scabrida</i> species of plant

Pterostylis scabrida, commonly known as the rough greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to Tasmania. It has a rosette of leaves at the base of the plant and a single green and white flower on a rough stem. It is widespread and common in wet forests and is one of the few species of Pterostylis to grow in rainforest.

<i>Pterostylis squamata</i> species of plant

Pterostylis squamata, commonly known as the southern rustyhood or ruddyhood, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. Flowering plants have up to ten translucent green flowers with reddish-brown markings and a hairy, insect-like labellum. Non-flowering plants have a rosette of four to eight egg-shaped leaves. This species is very similar to Pterostylis rufa which has a narrower labellum and other minor differences.

Pterostylis alata, commonly known as the striped greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to Tasmania. As with similar orchids, the flowering plants differ from those which are not flowering. The non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves but the flowering plants have a single flower with leaves on the flowering spike. This greenhood has a white flower with prominent dark green stripes and a sharply pointed, brown-tipped dorsal sepal. Similar greenhoods growing on the Australian mainland were formerly known as Pterostylis alata but are now given the name Pterostylis striata.

Pterostylis gibbosa, commonly known as the Illawarra rustyhood, or Illawarra greenhood, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. It has a rosette of leaves at its base and up to nine bright green flowers with translucent "windows", relatively wide lateral sepals with short-pointed tips and a dark, fleshy, insect-like labellum.

<i>Pterostylis ophioglossa</i> species of plant

Pterostylis ophioglossa, commonly known as the snake-tongue greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to eastern Australia. It has a rosette of leaves at the base and a single dull green, white and brown flower with a deeply notched labellum.

<i>Pterostylis reflexa</i> species of plant

Pterostylis reflexa, commonly known as the dainty greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to New South Wales. 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 stem. This greenhood has a relatively large white, green and light brown flower with a long, curved dorsal sepal and a protruding labellum.

References

  1. 1 2 "Pterostylis dubia". APNI. Retrieved 26 June 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. 307. ISBN   978-1877069123.
  3. 1 2 Jones, David L. (1998). "Contributions to Tasmanian Orchidology (7)". Australian Orchid Research. 3: 142.
  4. ↑ Brown, Robert (1810). Prodromus florae Novae Hollandiae. London. p. 327. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
  5. ↑ Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 277.
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