Pterostylis plumosa

Bearded greenhood
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Subtribe: Pterostylidinae
Genus: Pterostylis
Species: P. plumosa
Binomial name
Pterostylis plumosa
Cady
Synonyms[1]
  • Plumatichilos plumosa (Cady) Szlach.

Pterostylis plumosa, commonly known as the bearded greenhood or plumed greenhood is a species of orchid in the family Orchidaceae which is endemic to south-eastern Australia and possibly New Zealand. Its labellum or lip is long and thin, bordered with golden hairs, giving it the name "bearded".

Description

Pterostylis plumosa is a perennial herb rising from round tubers to form small colonies and grows to a height of 12–20 centimetres (5–8 in). It has 5-20 fleshy lance-shaped, pale green leaves crowded around the base of the stem and extending upwards, 10–30 millimetres (0.4–1 in) long and 5–15 millimetres (0.2–0.6 in)wide. There is a single flower on each plant, about 30 millimetres (1 in) long, erect and translucent with fine dark green lines and reticulations. The labellum is long and thin (about 1.5 millimetres (0.06 in) wide), bearded with golden-yellow hairs and ending in a red-brown knob. The dorsal sepal (at the back of the flower) narrows at the end to a thin point, 4 millimetres (0.2 in) long. The flowers appear from August to November.[2][3][4]

Taxonomy and naming

Pterostylis plumosa was first described in 1969 by Leo Cady in "Australian Plants" (published by the Australian Native Plants Society), from a specimen collected "on the road to Abercrombie Caves".[5] The specific epithet (plumosa) is derived the Latin word plumosis, "feathered".[6]

Distribution and habitat

The bearded greenhood occurs in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania.[3] It is also thought to occur in New Zealand.[7] It is an uncommon species, growing in "heathy woodland [in] semi shade".[2]

References

  1. ↑ "Plumatichilos plumosa (Cady) Szlach.". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
  2. 1 2 "Pterostylis plumosa". Yarra Ranges Shire Council. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  3. 1 2 Tindale, Mary D.; Carolin, Roger C, (1994). Flora of the Sydney region (4th ed.). Chatswood, NSW: Reed. p. 683. ISBN 0730104001.
  4. ↑ Jones, David L. "Pterostylis plumosa". Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  5. ↑ "Pterostylis plumosa Cady". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
  6. ↑ "plumosus". Wiktionary. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  7. ↑ Cooper, Dorothy (1981). A Field Guide to New Zealand Native Orchids. Price Milburn. p. 3. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
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