Pterostylis taurus

Little bull orchid
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Genus: Pterostylis
Species: P. taurus
Binomial name
Pterostylis taurus
D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem.[2]
Synonyms[3]

  • Taurantha taurus (D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem.) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem.
  • Diplodium taurus (D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem.) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem.

Pterostylis taurus, commonly known as the little bull orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to eastern Australia. It has a rosette of leaves at the base and a single green, white and brown flower with a deeply notched labellum.

Description

Pterostylis taurus is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a rosette of dull green leaves, each leaf 15–45 mm (0.6–2 in) long and 5–20 mm (0.2–0.8 in) wide. Flowering plants have a similar rosette and a single green, brown and white flower borne on a flowering spike 100–250 mm (4–10 in) high. The flowers are 25–30 mm (0.98–1.2 in) long, 10–13 mm (0.4–0.5 in) wide and lean forward. The dorsal sepal and petals are joined and curve forward forming a hood called the "galea" over the column but the dorsal sepal is longer than the petals and has a pointed tip 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) long. There is a broad U-shaped sinus between the lateral sepals which have thin, erect, thread-like tips 22–30 mm (0.9–1 in) long. The labellum protrudes above the sinus and is 13–16 mm (0.5–0.6 in) long, about 3 mm (0.1 in) wide and curved with a deep notch on the end. Flowering occurs between April and July.[4][5]

Taxonomy and naming

Pterostylis taurus was first described in 1989 by David Jones and Mark Clements and the description was published in Australian Orchid Research.[2] The specific epithet (taurus) is a Latin word meaning "bull".[6]

Distribution and habitat

The little bull orchid grows in coastal scrub and forest between Sydney in New South Wales and Eungella in Queenslandl.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Pterostylis taurus: Atlas of Living Australia". bie.ala.org.au. Atlas of Living Australia. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  2. 1 2 "Pterostylis taurus". APNI. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  3. ↑ "Pterostylis taurus". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  4. 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. 312. ISBN 1877069124.
  5. ↑ Jones, David L. "Pterostylis taurus". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney: plantnet. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  6. ↑ Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 783.
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