Family: Orchidaceae
Pterostylis nutans
Citation:
R. Br., Prod. Fl. Nov. Holl. 327 (1810) var. nutans.
Synonymy: Not Applicable Common name: Nodding green-hood. (Ilk Fitzgerald (1880) Australian orchids vol. 1, pt 6; Cady & Rotherham (1970) Australian native orchids in colour, pl. 8; Woolcock (1984) Australian terrestrial orchids, pl. 60A.)
Description:
Slender, glabrous, 7-20 cm high; leaves in a basal rosette, on rather long petioles; lamina oblong-lanceolate to ovate, 1.5-2.5 cm long; stem bracts loosely sheathing, usually 3 in addition to that subtending the floral pedicel.
Flower solitary, green, deflexed or nodding; galea 12-14 mm long, erect at the base but abruptly curved downwards towards the apex, terminating in an acute point or frequently with the tip of the dorsal sepal recurved exposing the tips of the petals: lateral sepals (lower lip) erect, the lobes with short acuminate points embracing the tip of the galea; labellum projecting through the sinus of the lateral sepals, on a movable claw attached to the foot of the column, c. 15 mm long (including the claw), oblong-linear, semicircularly recurved with a blunt tip; lamina pubescent, green, with a rather broad raised brown central line extending to the tip; appendage linear, curved, penicillate: column very much incurved, c. 15 mm long; upper angles of wings rounded, with a linear tooth; lower lobes of wings bluntly oblong-falcate, the anterior margins inturned and ciliate; anther incumbent, very blunt; stigma very long and narrow, pointed at both ends, not viscid; rostellum very viscid.
Distribution:
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Forms small to rather extensive colonies in leaf litter under forest often in shaded gullies and locally common.
S.Aust.: MU, SL, KI, SE. Qld; N.S.W.; Vic.; Tas. New Zealand.
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Conservation status:
native
Flowering time: mainly Aug. — Oct.
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SA Distribution Map based
on current data relating to
specimens held in the
State Herbarium of South Australia
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Biology:
Putative hybrids have been reported with P. cucullata (SL).
Author:
Not yet available
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