Pterostylis hildae

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Rainforest greenhood
Pterostylis hildae 2.jpg
In Bongil Bongil National Park
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. hildae
Binomial name
Pterostylis hildae

Pterostylis hildae, commonly known as the rainforest greenhood, is a species of orchid found in eastern Australia. It has a rosette of leaves and when flowering a rosette at the base of a flowering stem with a single green, white and brown flower. It is found in wet forests, including rainforest in New South Wales and Queensland.

Contents

Description

Pterostylis hildae is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a rosette of between two and four elliptic leaves, each leaf 20–80 mm (0.8–3 in) long and 8–25 mm (0.3–1 in) wide. The leaves have a distinct petiole and sometimes a wavy edge. When flowering, there is a single green, white and brown flower 23–27 mm (0.9–1 in) long and 10–12 mm (0.4–0.5 in) wide which is borne on a flowering spike 80–200 mm (3–8 in) high. The dorsal sepal and petals are fused to form a hood or "galea" over the column and the petals and dorsal sepal have a short point on their tips which end at or near horizontal. There is a wide gap at each side of the flower between the petals and lateral sepals. The lateral sepals are erect with a tapering tip 10–12 mm (0.4–0.5 in) long no higher than the galea and there is a curved sinus with a deep notch between them. The labellum is 11–13 mm (0.4–0.5 in) long, about 4 mm (0.2 in) wide, curved and projects through the sinus. Flowering occurs from March to October. [2] [3]

Taxonomy and naming

Pterostylis hildae was first described in 1937 by William Nicholls and the description was published in The Victorian Naturalist from a specimen collected on Tamborine Mountain. [4] [5] The specific epithet (hildae) honours Hilda Geissmann for her contributions to nature study in Queensland. [5]

Distribution and habitat

The rainforest greenhood is widespread and common in wet forest and rainforest between the Atherton Tableland in Queensland and Wollongong in New South Wales. [2] [3] [6]

Related Research Articles

<i>Pterostylis curta</i>

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 baptistii</i>

Pterostylis baptistii, commonly known as the king greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to eastern Australia. Flowering plants have a rosette of stalked, dark green leaves and a single white flower with green and brown markings, and a wide gap between the petals and lateral sepals. It occurs mostly in New South Wales but is also found in coastal Queensland and north-eastern Victoria.

<i>Pterostylis fischii</i>

Pterostylis fischii, commonly known as Fisch's 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 tawny-coloured flowers, a dorsal sepal with a long thread-like tip and a labellum which is hidden inside the flower.

<i>Pterostylis hamiltonii</i>

Pterostylis hamiltonii, commonly known as the red-veined shell orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western 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 reddish-brown markings and forms colonies, sometimes of thousands of plants.

<i>Pterostylis parviflora</i>

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 scabrida</i>

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 tenuissima</i>

Pterostylis tenuissima, commonly known as the swamp greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to the southern mainland of 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 small translucent white flowers with dark green stripes and markings and both the dorsal sepal and lateral sepals have relatively long, thread-like tips.

Pterostylis aquilonia, commonly known as the northern cobra greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to Queensland. 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 relatively large green, white and reddish-brown self-pollinating flower.

<i>Pterostylis brumalis</i>

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.

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.

<i>Pterostylis longicurva</i>

Pterostylis longicurva, commonly known as the long-tongued greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to eastern Australia. As with similar greenhoods, plants in flower differ from those that are not. Those not in flower have a rosette of leaves lying flat on the ground, but plants in flower have a single flower with leaves on the flowering stem. This species has a white and green flower with brown markings and a long, curved, brown labellum.

Pterostylis nigricans, commonly known as the dark greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to 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 six tiny green, white and brown flowers which have a rough texture.

Pterostylis procera, commonly known as the short-lipped greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to Queensland. It has a rosette of leaves and when flowering a single translucent white flower with green and reddish markings and a labellum which does not protrude through the lateral sepals.

Pterostylis riparia, commonly known as the streamside greenhood, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. Both flowering and non-flowering plants have a rosette of dark green, fleshy leaves. Flowering plants have a single, relatively large green, white and reddish-brown flower with a deeply notched sinus between hairy lateral sepals.

Pterostylis rogersii, commonly known as the curled-tongue shell orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western 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 usually has a white and reddish-brown striped flower with a long, curved labellum and is found along the south coast between Binningup and Esperance.

<i>Pterostylis russellii</i>

Pterostylis russellii, commonly known as Russell's greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to eastern Australia. Non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves flat on the ground but flowering plants have a single shiny white and dark green flower on a flowering stem lacking a rosette but with a few spreading stem leaves.

Pterostylis scoliosa, commonly known as the small kinked greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to Queensland. 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 white, pale green and pale brown flower with a kinked or curved labellum protruding above the sinus between the lateral sepals.

Pterostylis stricta, commonly known as the northern greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to Queensland. It has a rosette of leaves and when flowering a single translucent white flower with green lines, a reddish-brown tip and a curved, protruding labellum.

Pterostylis subtilis, commonly known as the thin mountain greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to New South Wales. It has a rosette of leaves and when flowering a single translucent white flower with dark green lines, a narrow, deeply notched sinus between the lateral sepals and a curved, protruding labellum.

Pterostylis uliginosa, commonly known as the marsh greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to south-eastern Australia. As with similar orchids, flowering plants differ from non-flowering. The non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves. The flowering plants lack a rosette at the base but have up to three rosettes on lateral growths and up to seven small green and white flowers. This species only grows in wet places, usually where there is free water. There are usually only two or three flowers per plant, and only one or two open at a time.

References

  1. "Pterostylis hildae". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  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. 304. ISBN   978-1877069123.
  3. 1 2 Jones, David L. "Pterostylis hildae". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney: plantnet. Retrieved 29 June 2017.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  4. "Pterostylis hildae". APNI. Retrieved 29 June 2017.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  5. 1 2 Nicholls, William Henry (1937). "A new species of the genus Pterostylis R.Br". The Victorian Naturalist. 10 (2): 39–40. Retrieved 29 June 2017.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  6. "Pterostylis hildae". Lucid keys:Australian Tropical Rainforest Orchids. Retrieved 29 June 2017.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)