Pterostylis metcalfei

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Metcalfe's greenhood
Pterostylis metcalfei (side).jpg
Pterostylis metcalfei near Ebor
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. metcalfei
Binomial name
Pterostylis metcalfei
Synonyms [1]
  • Diplodium metcalfei(D.L.Jones) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem.
  • Pterostylis metcaffeiJ.J.Riley orth. var.
Front view Pterostylis metcalfei (front).jpg
Front view

Pterostylis metcalfei, commonly known as Metcalfe's greenhood, [2] or Ebor greenhood [3] is a species of orchid that is endemic to the Northern Tablelands of 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 spike. This greenhood has a dark green and white striped flower and is known from only three locations. It is listed as an endangered species.

Contents

Description

Pterostylis metcalfei has a rosette of 3 to 5 leaves, each leaf 7–30 mm (0.3–1 in) long, 7–20 mm (0.3–0.8 in) wide, dark green and flat. The flower stem is 10–30 cm (4–10 in)1 long and bears a single flower 23–28 mm (0.9–1 in) long and 9–11 mm (0.35–0.43 in) wide and shiny, greenish-white with darker green stripes. The dorsal sepal is erect at its base but then arches forward, forming a hood over the labellum and has a threadlike tip, 7–14 mm (0.3–0.6 in) long. The labellum is blunt, sharply kinked in the middle and is 13.5–17 mm (0.53–0.67 in) long and about 3 mm (0.1 in) wide. Flowering occurs from March to May. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

Pterostylis metcalfei was first formally described by David L. Jones in 1997 from a specimen collected by Peter Metcalfe on Doughboy Mountain, about 10 km (6 mi) south of Wongwibindi station, on the road to Wollomombi, on 8 May 1994. The description was published in The Orchadian. [5] In 2002, Jones and Clements transferred the species to the genus Diplodium [6] [7] but the move has not been accepted by the Australian Plant Census [1] nor by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. [8] The specific epithet (metcalfei) honours the collector of the type specimens, Peter Metcalfe. [5]

Distribution and habitat

The species is endemic to the New England Tablelands bioregion at altitudes of 1,000 to 1,350 m (3,000 to 4,000 ft). It is found on ridges and slopes with well drained soil derived from granite and basalt, growing among grass and shrubs. [4] It is known from only three locations, only one of which is in a national park, so that it is threatened by cattle grazing and trampling. [2]

Conservation status

The Scientific Committee of the Office of Environment and Heritage, established by the Threatened Species Conservation Act, has listed P. metcalfei as "endangered" under the New South Wales Government Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 . [2] [9]

Related Research Articles

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

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 laxa</i> Species of orchid

Pterostylis laxa, commonly known as the antelope 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 green and white flowers with darker green or brown markings and a dorsal sepal with a long thread-like tip.

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

Pterostylis jonesii, commonly known as the montane leafy greenhood, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to a small area of south-eastern Australia. Individual plants have either a rosette of three to six leaves or a flowering spike with up to eleven flowers and five to seven stem leaves. The flowers are translucent green with faint darker green lines and have a brownish-yellow labellum with a dark stripe.

Pterostylis atriola, commonly known as the snug 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 only have a rosette of leaves but the flowering plants have one or two rosettes on growths from the base and up to ten small, dark green, white and brown flowers on a relatively tall flowering spike. It is a rare species, only known from four widely separated populations.

Pterostylis bryophila, commonly known as the Hindmarsh Valley greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to South Australia. As with similar greenhoods, plants in flower differ from those that are not. In this species, plants not in flower have a rosette of leaves lying flat on the ground, but those in flower have a single small, shiny, bright green and white flower with a protruding, platform-like sinus between the lateral sepals.

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

Pterostylis daintreana, commonly known as Daintree's greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to eastern Australia. The non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves on short stalks but flowering plants have up to ten flowers with rosettes on the side of the flowering spike. The flowers are translucent white with dark green lines and long, downcurved lateral sepals.

<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 gibbosa</i> Species of orchid

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 hildae</i> Species of orchid

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.

Pterostylis lepida, commonly known as the Halbury greenhood is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to South Australia. Both flowering and non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves. Flowering plants have up to ten green flowers with brown and translucent striations and a small, insect-like labellum. It is only known from two small populations.

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

Pterostylis lineata, commonly known as the Blue Mountains leafy greenhood, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is 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 on a short stalk but the flowering plants lack a rosette and have up to seven dark green flowers with translucent "windows" on a flowering stem with stem leaves. The labellum is light brown with a black strip along its mid-line.

Pterostylis loganii, commonly known as the Logan's leafy greenhood, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to a small area near the border between New South Wales and Victoria. Flowering plants have up to five pale green flowers with darker green stripes and brownish tips. The flowers have a brown labellum with a blackish stripe and a blackish mound near its base. Non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves on a short, thin stalk but flowering plants lack the rosette, instead having five to seven stem leaves.

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

Pterostylis major is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to New South Wales where it grows on the Northern Tablelands. As with similar greenhoods, the flowering plants differ from those which are not flowering. The non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves on a short stalk but the flowering plants lack a rosette and have up to eleven well-spaced, bright green flowers with darker stripes, on a flowering stem with stem leaves.

Pterostylis saxicola, commonly known as the Sydney plains rustyhood, or Sydney plains 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 ten reddish-brown flowers with translucent "windows", relatively wide lateral sepals with short-pointed tips and a dark brown, fleshy, insect-like labellum.

Pterostylis stenosepala, commonly known as the narrow-sepalled leafy greenhood, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. Flowering plants have up to six shiny, translucent green flowers with darker green stripes. The flowers have an insect-like labellum which is green with a dark green mound on its upper end. Non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves on a stalk, but flowering plants lack the rosette, instead having between four and eight stem leaves.

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

Pterostylis torquata, commonly known as the collared 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 white flower with dark green and dark brown markings, although in some areas, the flowers lack the brown markings. The sinus between the lateral sepals is platform-like.

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

Pterostylis vernalis, commonly known as the spring tiny greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to New South Wales. As with similar orchids, the flowering plants differ from those that are not currently flowering. Non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves at the base. Flowering plants lack that rosette, but have one or two rosettes on lateral growths. The flowers are green, brown and white. This greenhood is only known from a small area near Nowra.

Pterostylis wapstrarum, commonly known as the fleshy greenhood, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Tasmania. Both flowering and non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves lying flat on the ground and flowering plants have up to fifteen crowded green flowers with darker green veins.

Pterostylis ziegeleri, commonly known as the Cape Portland greenhood, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Tasmania. Both flowering and non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves lying flat on the ground and flowering plants have up to eight crowded translucent, pale green flowers with darker green veins.

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

Pterostylis divaricata, commonly known as northern striped greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to northern New South Wales. It grows in colonies of genetically identical plants. As with similar orchids, plants in flower differ from those that are not. Those not in flower have a rosette of leaves that lie flat on the ground. Plants in flower lack a rosette at the base but have up to ten translucent white flowers with green and brown stripes. This greenhood is similar to P. striata but has larger flowers and a longer tip on the dorsal sepal.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Pterostylis metcalfei". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Metcalfe's Greenhood - profile". NSW Government Department of Environment and Heritage. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Pterostylis metcalfei". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney; plantnet. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  4. 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. 289. ISBN   978-1877069123.
  5. 1 2 "Pterostylis metcalfei". APNI. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  6. "Diplodium metcalfei". APNI. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  7. Jones, David L.; Clements, Mark A. (2002). A Review of Pterostylis (Orchidaceae). Essendon, Vic.: Australian Orchid Foundation. ISBN   978-0642549044.
  8. "Diplodium metcalfei". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  9. "Pterostylis metcalfei (a terrestrial orchid) - endangered species listing". Office of Environment and Heritage. Retrieved 27 January 2015.