Pterostylis metcalfei

Pterostylis metcalfei, commonly known as the Large kinked greenhood orchid or Ebor greenhood is a species of orchid which is endemic to the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales. It is known from only three locations and is therefore listed as an Endangered Species.

Description

P. metcalfei has a rosette of 9–30 leaves, each leaf 7–20 mm long, dark green and flat. The flower stem is 100–300 mm long, the flowers 23–28 x 9–11 mm and greenish white with darker green stripes.^[1]

Taxonomy and naming

The species was first described by David L. Jones in 1997 and given the name Diplodium metcalfei (D.L.Jones) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem.^[2] In 2002, the species was moved to the genus Pterostylis and is now identified as Pterostylis metcalfei D.L.Jones.^[3] The type specimen was collected by Peter Metcalfe on Doughboy Mountain, about 10 km south of Wongwibindi station, on the road to Wollomombi, on 8 May 1994.^[4]

Distribution and habitat

The species is endemic to the New England Tablelands (biogeographic region) at altitudes of 1000 to 1350 metres. It is found on ridges and slopes with well drained soil derived from granite and basalt, growing among grass and shrubs.^[1] 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, ^[5]

Conservation status

The Scientific Committee of the Office of Environment and Heritage, established by the Threatened Species Conservation Act, has made a Final Determination to list the terrestrial orchid, Pterostylis metcalfei D.L. Jones as an Endangered Species on Part 1 of Schedule 1 of the Threatened Species Conservation Act.^[5]

References