Pterostylis scoliosa

Small kinked greenhood
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Orchidaceae
Subfamily:	Orchidoideae
Tribe:	Cranichideae
Genus:	Pterostylis
Species:	P. scoliosa
Binomial name
	Pterostylis scoliosa; D.L.Jones [1]
Synonyms [2]
	Diplodium scoliosum(D.L.Jones) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. Contents Description ; Taxonomy and naming ; Distribution and habitat ; Conservation ; References ;

Last updated May 03, 2019

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.

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.

Queensland is the second-largest and third-most populous state in the Commonwealth of Australia. Situated in the north-east of the country, it is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean. To its north is the Torres Strait, with Papua New Guinea located less than 200 km across it from the mainland. The state is the world's sixth-largest sub-national entity, with an area of 1,852,642 square kilometres (715,309 sq mi).

In botany, the labellum is the part of the flower of an orchid or Canna, or other less-known genera that serves to attract insects, which pollinate the flower, and acts as a landing platform for them.

Description

Pterostylis scoliosa is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and when not flowering, a rosette of shiny green leaves lying flat on the ground. Each leaf is 7–21 mm (0.3–0.8 in) long and 6–14 mm (0.2–0.6 in) wide. Flowering plants have a single flower 19–22 mm (0.7–0.9 in) long and 6–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide which leans slightly forwards on a flowering stem 100–200 mm (4–8 in) high with between three and five spreading stem leaves. The flower is white, pale green and pale brown. The dorsal sepal and petals are fused, forming a hood or "galea" over the column, the dorsal sepal with a thread-like tip 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) long. The lateral sepals are fused near their base, partly closing off the front of the flower and have erect, thread-like tips 14–16 mm (0.55–0.63 in) long. The sinus between the lateral sepals bulges slightly and is V-shaped. The labellum is 11–13 mm (0.4–0.5 in) long, 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide and is sharply kinked or curved, tapered near the tip and protrudes prominently above the sinus. Flowering occurs from March to May.^[3]

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.

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 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 scoliosa was first formally described in 1997 by David Jones from a specimen collected in the Brisbane Forest Park by Cecil Ralph Crane. The description was published in Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales .^[1] The specific epithet (scoliosa) is derived from the Ancient Greek word skolios meaning "curved", "bent" or "oblique".^[4]

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

Brisbane Forest Park Protected area in Queensland, Australia

Brisbane Forest Park, is located on parts of the D'Aguilar Range. The large nature reserve lies on the western boundary of City of Brisbane into the Moreton Bay Region, Queensland, Australia, in Enoggera Reservoir, adjacent to The Gap and between the Mount Coot-tha Reserve on the Taylor Range and higher peaks to the north. Brisbane Forest Park supports plants and animals and is essential to their survival. The main entrance is located in the suburb of The Gap although there are a number of other access points.

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 small kinked greenhood grows on steep, rocky slopes in open forest, often near streams. It is only known from the Brisbane Forest Park.^[3]

Conservation

Pterostylis scoliosa is classified as "endangered" under the Queensland Government Nature Conservation Act 1992 .

The Nature Conservation Act 1992 is an act of the Parliament of Queensland, Australia, that provides for the legislative protection of Queensland's threatened biota.

Related Research Articles

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.

Pterostylis alpina, commonly known as the mountain greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a rosette of fleshy leaves at the base and usually only one white flower with green markings and back-swept lateral sepals.

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.

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.

Pterostylis decurva, commonly known as the summer 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 but the flowering plants have a single flower with leaves on the flowering spike. This greenhood usually flowers in summer and has a white flower with green stripes and a brownish tinge. It is similar to P. aestiva but has paler green flowers.

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.

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 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.

Pterostylis aneba is a species of orchid endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a recently described and poorly-known greenhood similar to Pterostylis alpina and P. monticola. It has a rosette of fleshy leaves at the base of the plant and a single green and white flower. It grows in alpine and sub-alpine habitats.

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 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.

Pterostylis sp. aff. alata is a species of orchid endemic to New South Wales but which has not yet been formally described. 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 green markings and a brown-tipped dorsal sepal. It is only known from areas near Armidale where it grows near south-facing escarpments.

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 depauperata, commonly known as the keeled greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to Queensland. Flowering plants have a rosette of leaves at the base of a flowering stem with a single small white flower with pale green marks, and a few small stem leaves. Non-flowering plants only have a rosette of leaves. All three sepals on the flower have relatively long, thread-like tips.

Pterostylis erythroconcha, commonly known as the red shell orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to South 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 have a single flower with leaves on the flowering spike. This greenhood has a white and green flower with reddish brown markings and a long, fleshy, curved labellum.

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 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 pulchella, commonly known as the waterfall greenhood, escarpment greenhood or pretty greenhood is a species of orchid endemic to New South Wales. As with similar greenhoods, the flowering plants differ from those that 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 reddish-brown flower with a greenish-white base and protuding labellum with a cleft tip.

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.

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.

References

1 2 "Pterostylis scoliosa". APNI. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
↑ "Pterostylis scoliosa". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
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. 296. ISBN 978-1877069123.
↑ Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 140.

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[APNI-1] 1 2 "Pterostylis scoliosa". APNI. Retrieved 16 July 2017.

[2] "Pterostylis scoliosa". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

[Jones-3] 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. 296. ISBN 978-1877069123.

[RWB-4] Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 140.