Pterostylis tenuis

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Smooth leafy greenhood
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Cranichideae
Genus: Pterostylis
Species:
P. tenuis
Binomial name
Pterostylis tenuis
Synonyms [2]

Bunochilus tenuis D.L.Jones

Pterostylis tenuis commonly known as the smooth leafy greenhood is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. Non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves on a short stalk. Flowering plants lack a rosette but have up to four shiny, translucent green flowers on a flowering stem with three to six stem leaves.

Orchidaceae family of plants

The Orchidaceae are a diverse and widespread family of flowering plants, with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant, commonly known as the orchid family.

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.

New South Wales State of Australia

New South Wales is a state on the east coast of Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria to the south, and South Australia to the west. Its coast borders the Tasman Sea to the east. The Australian Capital Territory is an enclave within the state. New South Wales' state capital is Sydney, which is also Australia's most populous city. In September 2018, the population of New South Wales was over 8 million, making it Australia's most populous state. Just under two-thirds of the state's population, 5.1 million, live in the Greater Sydney area. Inhabitants of New South Wales are referred to as New South Welshmen.

Contents

Description

Pterostylis tenuis, is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber. Non-flowering plants have a rosette of between three and seven leaves, each leaf 10–35 mm (0.4–1 in) long and 3–8 mm (0.1–0.3 in) wide on a stalk 30–60 mm (1–2 in) high. Flowering plants have up to four translucent dark green flowers with darker markings on a flowering spike 120–300 mm (5–10 in) high. The flowering spike has between three and six stem leaves which are 15–60 mm (0.6–2 in) long and 3–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide. The flowers are 16–21 mm (0.6–0.8 in) long, 7–12 mm (0.3–0.5 in) wide. The dorsal sepal and petals are joined to form a hood over the column with the dorsal sepal having a brown or green tip. The lateral sepals turn downwards and are 14–18 mm (0.6–0.7 in) long, 9–12 mm (0.4–0.5 in) wide and joined to each other for more than half their length. The labellum is 6–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long, 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) wide and light brown with a darker brown stripe along its mid-line. Flowering occurs in September and October. [3] [4]

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

The smooth leafy greenhood was first formally described in 2006 by David Jones who gave it the name Bunochilus tenuis and published the description in Australian Orchid Research from a specimen collected in the Cadia Valley. [5] In 2010, Gary Backhouse changed the name to Pterostylis tenuis. [1] The specific epithet (tenuis) is a Latin word meaning "thin", [6] referring to the narrow labellum of this species. [4]

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

Cadia-Ridgeway Mine mine

Cadia Mine is a series of large underground and open-cut gold and copper mines located in the Cadia Valley, about 20 kilometres south of the regional city of Orange, New South Wales, Australia. The mine has been developed throughout the 1990s and is a major employer in the region with an expected lifespan of several decades. Cadia is the second largest open cut mine in Australia after the Super Pit at Kalgoorlie. Large mineral deposits are also being uncovered from the more recently developed Ridgeway underground mine, and Cadia East underground mine, adjacent to the Cadia Open Cut Mine.

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

Pterostylis tenuis grows on slopes and ridges in dry forest between the Torrington and Bathurst areas and is more common in the southerly parts of its range. [3] [7]

Torrington, New South Wales Town in New South Wales, Australia

Torrington is a small village in northern New South Wales in Tenterfield Shire. It is 29 kilometres north west of Deepwater and south west of Tenterfield and 61 kilometres from Glen Innes (South-East). It is situated on a plateau known as the Mole Tableland in close proximity to the Queensland border on the Northern Tablelands. A feature of Torrington is its abundance of boulders and rocky outcrops. The most notable boulder outcrop located in the village being "Goat Rock" and just out of town is "Old Mystery Face"

Bathurst Region Local government area in New South Wales, Australia

The Bathurst Region is a local government area in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. The area is located adjacent to the Great Western Highway, Mid-Western Highway, Mitchell Highway and the Main Western railway line. At the 2016 census, the Bathurst Region had a population of 41,300.

Related Research Articles

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

Pterostylis melagramma, commonly known as the black-stripe leafy greenhood is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. Individual plants have either a rosette of three to six leaves or a flowering spike with up to twenty 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.

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

Pterostylis chlorogramma, commonly known as the green-striped leafy greenhood, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Victoria. Flowering plants have up to seven translucent green flowers with darker green stripes. The flowers have a green labellum with a darker stripe down the middle. 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 diminuta</i> species of plant

Pterostylis diminuta, commonly known as the small-flowered leafy greenhood, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Victoria. 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 up to twelve small, partly green, partly translucent flowers and lack a rosette.

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

Pterostylis macilenta is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the Grampians National Park in Victoria. 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 up to six translucent, dark green flowers and lack a rosette.

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

Pterostylis williamsonii, commonly known as the brown-lip leafy greenhood, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Tasmania. Flowering plants have up to seven transparent green flowers with darker green and brown bands and a hairy, insect-like labellum with a blackish stripe. Non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves on a short stalk but flowering plants lack the rosette, instead having five to seven stem leaves.

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

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.

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

Pterostylis barringtonensis, commonly known as the Barrington 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 on a flowering stem with stem leaves. It is only known from Barrington Tops.

Pterostylis crassa, commonly known as the coarse leafy greenhood, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Victoria. As with similar greenhoods, plants in flower differ from those that are not. Those not in flower have a rosette of leaves on a short stalk but when flowering, plants have up to four relatively large, shiny dark green translucent flowers on a flowering stem with stem leaves.

Pterostylis chocolatina, commonly known as the chocolate-lip leafy greenhood, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. As with similar greenhoods, plants in flower differ from those that are not. Plants not in flower have a rosette of leaves on a short stalk, but when in flower, plants lack a rosette and have up to thirteen green flowers on a flowering stem with stem leaves. The labellum is dark brown with a blackish lump near its base.

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 littoralis, commonly known as the coastal leafy greenhood, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to South Australia. Flowering plants have up to five pale green flowers with darker green stripes and brownish tips. The flowers have a narrow, pale green labellum. Non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves on a short, thin stalk but flowering plants lack the rosette, instead having four or five stem leaves.

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.

Pterostylis macrosepala is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to New South Wales where it grows on the central-west slopes. 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 up to eight translucent green flowers with narrow, dark green stripes and up to ten stem leaves.

Pterostylis parca commonly known as the Lithgow leafy greenhood is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. Non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves on a short stalk. Flowering plants lack a rosette but have up to eight translucent pale green flowers on a flowering stem with three to six stem leaves.

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

Pterostylis prasina, commonly known as the mallee leafy greenhood, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to southern continental Australia. Non-flowering have a rosette of leaves on a short stalk, but flowering plants lack the rosette and have up to eight pale green and translucent green flowers with darker green lines. The flowers have a pale green labellum with a darker central line. It is a common and widespread greenhood in parts of Victoria and South Australia.

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 umbrina</i> species of plant

Pterostylis umbrina, commonly known as the broad-sepaled leafy greenhood, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales on the Southern Tablelands. As with similar greenhoods, plants in flower differ from those that are not. Those not in flower have a rosette of leaves flat on a short stalk. Plants in flower have up to six green flowers with darker green stripes with stem leaves but lack a rosette.

Pterostylis viriosa, commonly known as the Adelaide Hills banded greenhood, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to South Australia. Flowering plants have up several green flowers with faint white 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 several stem leaves.

Pterostylis vitrea commonly known as the glassy leafy greenhood is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Queensland. Non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves on a short stalk. Flowering plants lack a rosette but have up to seven translucent green flowers with darker green lines on a flowering stem with between five and seven stem leaves.

Pterostylis flavovirens, commonly known as the coastal banded greenhood, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae that is endemic to South Australia. As with other similar orchids, non-flowering plants differ from those in flower. Flowering plants have up to seven pale to translucent green flowers with darker green stripes. The flowers have an insect-like labellum which is yellowish green with a slightly darker green stripe along its centre. Non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves on a stalk, but flowering plants lack the rosette, instead having three to six stem leaves.

References

  1. 1 2 "Pterostylis tenuis". APNI. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  2. "Pterostylis tenuis". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  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. 317. ISBN   978-1877069123.
  4. 1 2 Jones, David L. (2006). "New taxa of Australasian Orchidaceae". Australian Orchid Research. 5: 127–128.
  5. "Bunochilus tenuis". APNI. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  6. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 787.
  7. "Pterostylis tenuis". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney; plantnet. Retrieved 20 July 2017.