Elegant rufous greenhood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Elegant rufous greenhood |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pterostylis
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| Species: |
elegantissima
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| Synonyms | |
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Oligochaetochilus elegantissimus D.L.Jones & C.J.French |
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The elegant rufous greenhood (Pterostylis elegantissima) is a special type of orchid. It grows only in the south-west part of Western Australia. Both young plants and flowering plants have a big group of leaves. These leaves lie flat on the ground like a rosette. When it flowers, this plant can have up to eight beautiful green, white, and black or brown flowers.
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
The elegant rufous greenhood is a plant that grows from an underground tuber. A tuber is like a small, swollen stem that stores food. This plant is a perennial, meaning it lives for more than two years. It is also deciduous, which means it loses its leaves during certain seasons.
The plant has a rosette of leaves that can be about 20–60 mm (0.8–2 in) wide. When it flowers, it sends up a stem that can be 150–450 mm (6–20 in) tall. This stem can have up to eight flowers. Each flower is about 30–35 mm (1.2–1.4 in) long and 10–12 mm (0.4–0.5 in) wide.
The flowers are a mix of green, white, and black or brown colors. The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, joins with the petals. Together, they form a hood-like shape over the column (the central part of the flower). The side sepals point downwards. They end in thin, thread-like tips that spread apart. The labellum (the orchid's lip) is a dark blackish-brown. It looks like an insect. It has many short hairs on its "head" end and longer bristles on the sides of its "body." This orchid usually flowers from October to November.
How It Got Its Name
Naming the Elegant Rufous Greenhood
The elegant rufous greenhood was first officially described in 2014. Two botanists, David Jones and Christopher French, gave it the name Oligochaetochilus elegantissimus. They published their description in a magazine called Australian Orchid Review. They studied a plant found near the Peak Charles National Park.
In 2015, David Jones changed the name to Pterostylis elegantissima. He did this to fit different ways scientists classify plants. Before this, the plant was known as Pterostylis sp. 'elegant'.
Meaning of the Name
The second part of its scientific name, elegantissima, comes from Latin. It means "most elegant." This name was chosen because the plant is tall and has very beautiful, decorative flowers.
Where It Lives
The elegant rufous greenhood grows in woodlands. It also likes to grow in shallow soil on granite rocks. You can find it in a wide area between Goomalling and Salmon Gums. This area is part of the Mallee region in Western Australia. However, it only grows in a few separate groups of plants.
Protecting This Orchid
The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has classified Pterostylis elegantissima as "Priority One." This means the plant is known from only a few places. These places might be at risk, so the plant needs special protection to survive.
