Pterostylis aquilonia
| Northern cobra greenhood | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
| Tribe: | Cranichideae |
| Genus: | Pterostylis |
| Species: | P. aquilonia
|
| Binomial name | |
| Pterostylis aquilonia | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
|
Diplodium aquilonium (D.L.Jones & B.Gray) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. | |
Pterostylis aquilonia, commonly known as the northern cobra greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to Queensland. As with similar orchids, the flowering plants differ from those which are not flowering. The non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves, but the flowering plants lack a rosette and have a single flower with leaves on the flowering spike. This greenhood has a relatively large green, white and reddish-brown self-pollinating flower.
Description
[edit]Pterostylis aquilonia is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and when not flowering, a rosette of light green leaves 5–15 mm (0.2–0.6 in) long and 5–12 mm (0.2–0.5 in) wide. Flowering plants have a single flower 20–25 mm (0.8–1 in) long and 10–12 mm (0.4–0.5 in) wide borne on a spike 150–200 mm (6–8 in) high. The flowers are white, green, and reddish-brown. The dorsal sepal and petals are fused, forming a hood or "galea" over the column. The dorsal sepal curves forward and ends with a short point. The lateral sepals are erect with thread-like ends 22–25 mm (0.9–1 in) long with their tips bent forwards. The lateral sepals are held closely against the galea, and there is a broad, flat, platform-like sinus between their bases. The labellum is 11–13 mm (0.4–0.5 in) long, about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide and brown while slightly protruding above the sinus. Flowering occurs from May to June.[3]
Taxonomy and naming
[edit]Pterostylis aquilonia was first formally described in 1997 by David Jones and Bruce Gray. The description was published in The Orchadian from a specimen collected near Herberton.[1] The specific epithet (aquilonia) is a Latin word meaning "north" or "northern".[4]
Distribution and habitat
[edit]The northern cobra greenhood grows in forest on the higher parts of the Atherton Tableland.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Pterostylis aquilonia". APNI. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
- ^ "Pterostylis aquilonia". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- ^ a b Jones, David L. (2006). A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. p. 290. ISBN 978-1877069123.
- ^ Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 560.