Pterostylis parva

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Fawn snail orchid
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Genus: Pterostylis
Species:P. parva
Binomial name
Pterostylis parva
D.L.Jones & C.J.French [1]

Pterostylis parva, commonly known as the fawn snail orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. As with similar greenhoods, the flowering plants differ from those which are not flowering. The non-flowering plants have a small 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 flower is small, fawn, green and white and is similar to P. timothyi but smaller in stature.

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.

Western Australia State in Australia

Western Australia is a state occupying the entire western third of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, and the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Australia is Australia's largest state, with a total land area of 2,529,875 square kilometres, and the second-largest country subdivision in the world, surpassed only by Russia's Sakha Republic. The state has about 2.6 million inhabitants – around 11 percent of the national total – of whom the vast majority live in the south-west corner, 79 per cent of the population living in the Perth area, leaving the remainder of the state sparsely populated.

Pterostylis timothyi, commonly known as the brittle snail orchid or fawn snail orchid is a species of orchid which is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a rosette of leaves at its base, and when flowering, a single green, fawn and white with erect lateral sepals.

Contents

Description

Pterostylis parva is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and when not flowering, a rosette of small bluish green leaves. The rosette is 10–25 mm (0.4–1 in) in diameter. Flowering plants have a single fawn, green and white flower 10–13 mm (0.4–0.5 in) long and 3–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide on a flowering stem 35–100 mm (1–4 in) high. There are one or two stem leaves 3–6 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long and 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) wide on the flowering stem. The dorsal sepal and petals are fused, forming a hood or "galea" over the column and the dorsal sepal has a short point. The lateral sepals are held closely against the galea, 10–17 mm (0.4–0.7 in) long and have relatively thick, erect tips. The labellum is small and not visible from outside the flower. Flowering occurs from June to early August. [2]

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 parva was first formally described in 2015 by David Jones and Christopher French from a specimen collected in the Truslove Nature Reserve near Grass Patch and the description was published in Australian Orchid Review. [1] The specific epithet (parva) is a Latin word meaning "little". [3]

David Lloyd Jones is an Australian horticultural botanist and the author of a large number of books and papers, especially on Australian orchids.

Grass Patch, Western Australia Town in Western Australia

Grass Patch is a small town in the Mallee region of Western Australia, located 79 km north of Esperance on the Coolgardie-Esperance Highway. The town was named after a nearby farm of the same name that had been settled around 1896 and was renowned for bountiful crops and good grass. The town is part of the Shire of Esperance, and services the local farming community.

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 fawn snail orchid grows in shrubland and woodland between Southern Cross and Israelite Bay. [2] [4]

Southern Cross, Western Australia Town in Western Australia

Southern Cross is a town in Western Australia, 371 kilometres east of state capital Perth on the Great Eastern Highway. It was founded by gold prospectors in 1888, and gazetted in 1890. It is the major town and administrative centre of the Shire of Yilgarn. At the 2016 census, Southern Cross had a population of 680.

Conservation

Pterostylis parva is listed as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. [4]

Government of Western Australia state government of Western Australia

The Government of Western Australia, formally referred to as Her Majesty's Government of Western Australia, is the Australian state democratic administrative authority of Western Australia. It is also commonly referred to as the WA Government or the Western Australian Government. The Government of Western Australia, a parliamentary constitutional monarchy, was formed in 1890 as prescribed in its Constitution, as amended from time to time. Since the Federation of Australia in 1901, Western Australia has been a state of the Commonwealth of Australia, and the Constitution of Australia regulates its relationship with the Commonwealth. Under the Australian Constitution, Western Australia ceded legislative and judicial supremacy to the Commonwealth, but retained powers in all matters not in conflict with the Commonwealth.

Department of Parks and Wildlife (Western Australia) department of the Government of Western Australia

The Department of Parks and Wildlife (DPaW) was the department of the Government of Western Australia responsible for managing lands described in the Conservation and Land Management Act 1984 and implementing the state's conservation and environment legislation and regulations. The minister responsible for the department was the Minister for the Environment.

Related Research Articles

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

Pterostylis barbata, commonly known as the western bearded greenhood or bird orchid is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. Flowering plants have a rosette of leaves at the base of the plant and a single translucent white flower with dark green veins on a flowering stem with up to 20 stem leaves. It is one of a number of bearded orchids, some of which have yet to be formally described, all of which have a distinctive feather-like labellum.

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

Pterostylis scabra, commonly known as the green-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 white flower with green and pale brownish-fawn stripes and a long, curved protruding labellum. It is found in inland areas between Kalbarri and Esperance.

Pterostylis angusta, commonly known as the narrow shell orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western 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 flower is green, white and brown with an inflated base, a narrow hood and the longest labellum of any Western Australian Pterostylis species.

Pterostylis aspera, commonly known as the rough shell orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western 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 common species, the flower is white with green and reddish-brown stripes and a short, straight labellum.

Pterostylis dilatata, commonly known as the robust snail orchid, is a species of orchid which is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. Non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves but flowering plants lack a rosette and have a single green and white flower on a flowering stem with stem leaves. The flowers appear in winter and have lateral sepals which almost close off the front of the flower.

Pterostylis macrocalymma, commonly known as the large-hooded rufous greenhood or Murchison rustyhood is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. Both flowering and non-flowering plants have a relatively large rosette of leaves. Flowering plants also have up to ten or more white flowers with bold green or pale brown lines and a broad spoon-shaped, insect-like labellum.

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

Pterostylis microphylla, commonly known as the small rosette snail orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western 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 flower is white and green with narrow, erect lateral sepals and a small labellum.

Pterostylis perculta, commonly known as the ruddy hood is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. Both flowering and non-flowering plants have a relatively large rosette of leaves and flowering plants have up to five reddish-brown and white flowers with relatively short tips on the sepals.

Pterostylis platypetala, commonly known as the broad-petalled snail orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a rosette of leaves and when flowering, a single green and white flower with relatively wide petals. In ideal conditions it can form colonies of hundreds of plants and often grows under melaleucas on the edge of winter-wet areas.

Pterostylis scitula, commonly known as the elegant snail orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. Both flowering and non-flowering plants have a small rosette of leaves flat on the ground. Flowering plants have a single, small green and white flower with leaves on the flowering stem.

Pterostylis brevichila, commonly known as the dwarf shell orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western 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 flower is small and white with brown stripes and is similar to P. aspera but smaller in stature.

Pterostylis brunneola, commonly known as the giant snail orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. Both flowering and non-flowering plants have a large rosette of leaves flat on the ground and flowering plants have a single distinctive white flower with pale fawn stripes and have leaves on the flowering spike. This species often forms large colonies, sometimes with Caladenia species.

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

Pterostylis echinulata, commonly known as the hairy-leafed snail orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. Both flowering and non-flowering plants have a compact rosette of leaves flat on the ground and flowering plants have a single pale yellowish-green flower.

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.

Pterostylis glebosa, commonly known as the clubbed 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 usually lack a rosette and have a single green and white flower with club-like lateral sepals. It sometimes forms colonies of thousands of plants.

Pterostylis jacksonii, commonly known as the southwest granite snail orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. Both flowering and non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves flat on the ground and flowering plants have a single green and white flower. It is only known from between Walpole and Albany.

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

Pterostylis karri, commonly known as the karri snail orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. Both flowering and non-flowering plants usually have a small rosette of leaves and flowering plants have a single green and white flower with unusually long, erect lateral sepals. Like some similar greenhoods, it often forms dense colonies.

Pterostylis lortensis, commonly known as the Lort River 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 usually lack a rosette and have a flowering stem with leaves and a single pale green and white flower with narrow, club-like lateral sepals.

Pterostylis microglossa, commonly known as the Kalbarri shell 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 flowering stem with leaves and a single green, white and brownish-red flower.

References

  1. 1 2 "Pterostylis parva". APNI. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  2. 1 2 Brown, Andrew; Dixon, Kingsley; French, Christopher; Brockman, Garry (2013). Field guide to the orchids of Western Australia : the definitive guide to the native orchids of Western Australia. Simon Nevill Publications. p. 367. ISBN   9780980348149.
  3. ↑ Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 489.
  4. 1 2 "Pterostylis parva". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
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