Eungella greenhood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eungella greenhood |
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|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pterostylis
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| Species: |
anatona
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The Eungella greenhood (scientific name: Pterostylis anatona) is a special kind of orchid. It only grows in Queensland, Australia. This plant has a bunch of wrinkled leaves at its base. It also grows a single flower that is light green and white, with a reddish tip. You can find it in high places between Eungella and the Blackdown Tableland National Park.
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What the Eungella Greenhood Looks Like
The Eungella greenhood is a plant that grows from the ground. It is a perennial herb, which means it lives for more than two years. It also has an underground tuber, which is like a small storage root. The plant has a group of dark green, wrinkled leaves that form a circle, called a rosette. These leaves are about 15 to 45 mm (0.6 to 1.8 inches) long and 9 to 18 mm (0.4 to 0.7 inches) wide.
The Eungella greenhood grows a single flower on a stem that can be 60 to 180 mm (2.4 to 7.1 inches) tall. This flower is light green and white, with a reddish-brown tip. It is about 37 to 44 mm (1.5 to 1.7 inches) long and 15 to 20 mm (0.6 to 0.8 inches) wide.
Flower Parts
The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, and the petals are joined together. They form a hood shape, which is called a "galea." This hood covers the central part of the flower, known as the column. The dorsal sepal is a little shorter than the petals.
There is a big space between the galea (the hood) and the side parts of the flower, called the lateral sepals. These lateral sepals stand upright and have narrow tips that are about 20 to 25 mm (0.8 to 1.0 inch) long. They also have a V-shaped bulge between them.
The labellum is another part of the flower. It is about 18 to 22 mm (0.7 to 0.9 inches) long and 4 mm (0.2 inches) wide. It is reddish-brown, curved, and sticks out above the V-shaped bulge. The Eungella greenhood usually blooms between June and August.
How it Got its Name
The Eungella greenhood was first officially described in 1997 by a botanist named David Jones. He wrote about it in a magazine called The Orchadian. The plant he studied was found near Eungella.
The scientific name anatona comes from a Latin word. It means "stretching or extending upward," which describes how the flower grows.
Where the Eungella Greenhood Lives
The Eungella greenhood grows in forests that have a lot of grass underneath the trees. You can find it in high areas, usually above 800 meters (2,600 feet), between Eungella and the Blackdown Tableland.
