Pterostylis allantoidea

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Shy greenhood
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Cranichideae
Genus: Pterostylis
Species:
P. allantoidea
Binomial name
Pterostylis allantoidea
Synonyms[1]
  • Diplodium allantoideum (R.S.Rogers) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem.
  • Eremorchis allantoidea (R.S.Rogers) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem.

Pterostylis allantoidea, commonly known as shy greenhood,[2] is a species of orchid which is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has a large rosette of leaves at the base of a flowering spike and a single white flower with green or reddish-brown stripes.

Description[edit]

Pterostylis allantoidea, is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and which usually grows in colonies. It has a rosette of large, dark green leaves with wrinkled edges, each leaf 5–15 mm (0.2–0.6 in) long and 1–10 mm (0.04–0.4 in) wide. When flowering, there is usually only a single, white flower with green or reddish-brown stripes. The flowers lean forwards and are 12–15 mm (0.5–0.6 in) long, 6–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide and borne on a flowering spike 80–100 mm (3–4 in) tall. The dorsal sepal and petals form a hood over the column. The dorsal sepal is longer than the petals and has a thread-like tip 6–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long. The lateral sepals are erect with thread-like tips 10–14 mm (0.4–0.6 in) long with a bulging sinus between them. The labellum is egg-shaped, 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) long, about 1 mm (0.04 in) wide, thick, fleshy, dark brown and curved and protrudes above the sinus. Flowering occurs from August to September.[2][3][4]

Taxonomy and naming[edit]

Pterostylis allantoidea was first formally described in 1940 by Richard Sanders Rogers in Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia.[5][6] The specific epithet (allantoidea) is from the Latin allantoideus, 'sausage-shaped', referring to the shape of the labellum.[2]

Distribution and habitat[edit]

The shy greenhood grows on and near granite outcrops under shrubs between Coolgardie, Ravensthorpe and Israelite Bay in the Coolgardie and Esperance Plains biogeographic regions of Western Australia.[2][4][7]

Conservation status[edit]

Pterostylis allantoidea is classified as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife.[7]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Pterostylis allantoidea". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d Brown, Andrew; Dixon, Kingsley; French, Christopher; Brockman, Garry (2013). Field guide to the orchids of Western Australia : the definitive guide to the native orchids of Western Australia. Simon Nevill Publications. p. 352. ISBN 9780980348149.
  3. ^ Jones, David L. (2006). A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. p. 297. ISBN 978-1877069123.
  4. ^ a b Hoffman, Noel; Brown, Andrew (2011). Orchids of South-West Australia (3rd ed.). Gooseberry Hill: Noel Hoffman. p. 403. ISBN 9780646562322.
  5. ^ "Pterostylis allantoidea". APNI. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  6. ^ Rogers, Richard Sanders (1940). "Contributions to the Orchidology of Australia". Proceedings of the Royal Society of South Australia. 64: 139. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  7. ^ a b "Pterostylis allantoidea Lindl". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.