Family: Orchidaceae
Pterostylis aphylla
Citation:
Lindley, Gen. & Sp. Orchid. Pl. 392 (1840).
Synonymy: P. parviflora sensu R. Rogers in J. Black, Fl. S. Aust. (1943), non R. Br.
Common name: None
Description:
Usually a small slender plant 5-15 cm high rarely robust and to 25 cm high; leaf rosette forming only on non-flowering plants, rarely a small lateral tuft of leaves forming at the base of the scape after flowering; stem leaves reduced to 2 or 3 small acute bracts.
Flowers 1-5, deep-green, in a short raceme; galea 6-8 mm long, acutely incurveal, apex blunt; lateral sepals (lower lip) cuneate, erect, the lobes with a narrow sinus, shortly acuminate, embracing the galea but much shorter than it, effectively barring entry to within the apparently self-pollinated flowers; labellum oblong, on a movable claw; lamina c. 2 mm long, with a raised darker central ridge; the tip straight, obtuse; basal appendage linear, curved, 3-lobed; column c. 4 mm long, erect, longer than the labellum, winged above, the lobes quadrate, ciliate, stigma cordate, prominent.
Published illustration:
Hooker f. (1858) Flora of Tasmania 2:t116, fig. C.
Distribution:
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Occurs singly or in small groups in peat bogs. Very rare in S.Aust.
N.S.W.; Vic.; Tas.
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Conservation status:
native
Flowering time: Dec. — March.
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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:
This species is very closely related to P. parviflora.
Author:
Not yet available
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