Pterostylis humilis

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Pterostylis humilis
Pterostylis humilis 172644070.jpg
In Tongariro National Park
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Cranichideae
Genus: Pterostylis
Species:
P. humilis
Binomial name
Pterostylis humilis

Pterostylis humilis is a species of orchid endemic to New Zealand. It has a rosette of leaves at the base of the plant and when flowering stem, leaves which usually obscure the dark green and white flower.

Contents

Description

Pterostylis humilis is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and which often forms colonies. It has a loose rosette of leaves at the base and when flowering, between three and four more or less erect stem leaves, 40–90 mm (2–4 in) long and 15–25 mm (0.6–1 in) wide. The top-most leaves are higher than, and usually obscure the flowers. There is a single dark green flower with translucent white stripes and a reddish-brown tinge borne on a flowering stem 45–55 mm (1.8–2.2 in) tall or higher. The dorsal sepal and petals are fused, forming a hood or "galea" over the column. The dorsal sepal is more or less erect near its base then curves forward to the horizontal. The petals are slightly flared and slightly shorter than the dorsal sepal which has a short tip. There is a wide gap between the lateral sepals and the galea and the lateral sepals have thread-like tips which are erect, spread slightly apart from each other and are higher than the galea. The labellum is dark reddish-brown, curved and protrudes slightly above the sinus. Flowering occurs between November and January. [3] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

Pterostylis humilis was first formally described in 1922 by Richard Rogers and the description was published in Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of South Australia . [5] [6] The specific epithet (humilis) is a Latin word meaning "low", "on the ground", "shallow" or "poor;". [7]

Distribution and habitat

This greenhood grows in montane forests of Nothofagus and in subalpine scrub. It occurs on the Volcanic Plateau and in the Egmont National Park on the North Island. On the South Island it occurs from near Nelson to near the Buller River. [3] [4]

Related Research Articles

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

Pterostylis coccina, commonly known as the scarlet greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to 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. In this species, the rosette leaves are relatively large and dark green, and the flowers are white, and bluish-green or red. It grows in New South Wales and north-eastern Victoria.

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

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.

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

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 stem. 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 foliata</i> Species of orchid

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 longipetala</i> Species of orchid

Pterostylis longipetala, commonly known as the curved greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to 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 dark green, brown and white flowers which lean slightly forwards and have sharply-pointed petals and a long, curved labellum.

Pterostylis anatona, commonly known as the Eungella greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to Queensland. It has a rosette of wrinkled leaves at the base of the plant and a single light green and white flower, reddish towards its tip. It grows in higher areas between Eungella and the Blackdown Tableland National Park.

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 auriculata</i> Species of orchid

Pterostylis auriculata 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. All parts of the plant are glossy and there is a single green flower with a reddish tinge.

Pterostylis cernua, commonly known as the Westland greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to New Zealand. Non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves but flowering plants have a single white, dark green and reddish-brown flower with leaves on the flowering stem.

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

Pterostylis elegans, commonly known as the elegant greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to New South Wales. Non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves flat on the ground but flowering plants have a single translucent white and dark green flower with reddish-brown markings near the tip.

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

Pterostylis graminea, commonly known as the grass-leaved greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to New Zealand. It has erect, grass-like leaves with the upper ones higher than the yellowish-green and transparent white flower.

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.

Pterostylis montana is a species of greenhood orchid endemic to New Zealand. Flowering plants have erect, linear leaves on the flowering stem with a single green flower with translucent white stripes and an unusual twisted labellum.

Pterostylis paludosa, commonly known as swamp greenhood, is a species of greenhood orchid endemic to New Zealand. As with similar orchids, plants in flower differ from those that are not. Those not in flower have a rosette of leaves on a short stalk but plants in flower lack a rosette and have a single flower with leaves on the flowering spike. This greenhood has a translucent white flower with pale to yellowish-green stripes.

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 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.

Pterostylis venosa, commonly known as a greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to New Zealand and which usually grows in colonies. Both flowering and non-flowering plants have a rosette of erect to spreading leaves, and flowering plants have a single yellowish-green to dark green flower with white stripes. It is similar to P. humilis.

Pterostylis erubescens, commonly known as the red sepaled snail orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. Non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves flat on the ground but flowering plants lack a rosette and have a single large green flower which turns reddish-brown as it ages, and has leaves on the flowering spike.

References

  1. Williams, E. (2017). Pterostylis humilis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T22486134A22488070. https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T22486134A22488070.en. Downloaded on 12 November 2018.
  2. "Pterostylis humilis". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  3. 1 2 de Lange, Peter James. "Pterostylis humilis". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 29 June 2017.
  4. 1 2 "Pterostylis humilis". New Zealand Native Orchid Group. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  5. "Pterostylis humilis". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  6. Rogers, Richard Sanders (1922). "Contributions to the orchidology of Australia and New Zealand". Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of South Australia. 46: 151–152. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
  7. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 498.