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Electronic Flora of South Australia species Fact Sheet

Family: Orchidaceae
Pterostylis nana

Citation: R. Br., Prod. Fl. Nov. Holl. 327 (1810).

Synonymy: Linguella nana

Common name: Dwarf green-hood.

Description:
A rather diminutive species, usually 5-10 cm high; leaves rosulate at the base of the stem, petiolate; lamina ovate, elliptical or oblong-elliptical, 10-15 mm long; stem bracts usually loose, acute, sheathing; a similar bract subtending the floral pedicel.

Flower solitary, green; galea erect, 12-15 mm long, broad and obtuse at the apex; lateral sepals (lower lip) erect; lobes separated by a broad truncate sinus with an inflexed central tooth, produced into long erect linear points embracing the galea and much exceeding it; labellum oblong, with a very blunt and slightly recurred tip, attached to a short linear movable claw;, lamina 4-5 mm long, traversed by a central longitudinal ridge bearing at its base a curved linear appendage with a 3-fid tip; column erect, c. 8 mm long, adnate posteriorly at the base to the dorsal sepal; the wings with an acute upper angle, the lower lobe oblong, obtuse, with inturned hairs; rostellum forming a viscid cushion in front of the cavity between the 2 pairs of pollinia; stigma elliptical, not glutinous.

Published illustration: Cunningham et al. (1982) Plants of western New South Wales, p. 205; Hoffman & Brown (1984) Orchids of south-west Australia, p. 298; Woolcock (1984)Australian terrestrial orchids, pl. 54A.

Distribution:  Forms small colonies in a wide range of soils and habitats from dense forest and coastal dunes to rocky outcrops far inland. Common.

S.Aust.: NU, GT, FR, EP, NL, MU, YP, SL, KI, SE.   W. Aust.; N.S.W.; Vic.; Tas.   New Zealand.

Conservation status: native

Flowering time: June — Oct.


SA Distribution Map based
on current data relating to
specimens held in the
State Herbarium of South Australia

Biology: No text

Author: Not yet available


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