Fleshy greenhood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fleshy greenhood |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pterostylis
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| Species: |
wapstrarum
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| Synonyms | |
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The fleshy greenhood (scientific name: Pterostylis wapstrarum) is a special type of orchid plant. It belongs to the orchid family, which is known for its beautiful and unique flowers. This plant is found only in Tasmania, an island state of Australia. This means it is "endemic" to Tasmania.
Both young plants and flowering plants have a group of leaves that lie flat on the ground. This group of leaves is called a rosette. When the plant flowers, it can have up to fifteen green flowers. These flowers often have darker green lines, like veins.
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About the Fleshy Greenhood Orchid
The fleshy greenhood, Pterostylis wapstrarum, is a plant that grows from an underground tuber. A tuber is like a small, round storage organ, similar to a potato. This plant is a perennial herb, meaning it lives for more than two years and its stems are not woody. It is also deciduous, which means it loses its leaves at certain times of the year.
Its Leaves and Flowers
This orchid has a rosette of leaves. There are usually four to seven leaves in this group. Each leaf is shaped like an oblong or an egg. They are about 15 to 27 millimeters (about 0.6 to 1.1 inches) long. They are also about 8 to 20 millimeters (about 0.3 to 0.8 inches) wide. These leaves lie flat on the ground.
The plant produces a flowering stem that grows between 80 and 220 millimeters (about 3.1 to 8.7 inches) tall. This stem has four to six leaves wrapped around its base. On this stem, you can find between five and fifteen green flowers. These flowers are crowded together and have darker green lines, like veins.
The flowers are about 10 millimeters (about 0.4 inches) long and 5 millimeters (about 0.2 inches) wide. The top part of the flower, called the "galea," looks like a hood. It is formed by the dorsal sepal (the top leaf-like part) and the petals joining together. This hood covers the central part of the flower, called the column.
The dorsal sepal is gently curved. It suddenly bends downwards near its tip. It is about the same length as the petals. The side sepals turn downwards. They are about 8 millimeters (about 0.3 inches) long and 11 millimeters (about 0.4 inches) wide. They are mostly joined together and are cup-shaped. Their tips are about 1 millimeter (about 0.04 inches) apart.
The labellum is a special part of the orchid flower. For the fleshy greenhood, it is about 3 millimeters (about 0.1 inches) long and 2 millimeters (about 0.08 inches) wide. It is whitish-green and has a dark green appendage (a small attached part). These orchids usually flower from October to December.
How it Got its Name
The fleshy greenhood, Pterostylis wapstrarum, was officially described in 1998. It was named by a botanist named David Jones. He found a sample of the plant near Pontville. The description was published in a research paper called Australian Orchid Research.
The specific name, wapstrarum, was chosen to honor Johannes ("Hans") and Annie Wapstra. They helped David Jones with his work.
Where Does it Live?
The fleshy greenhood orchid grows in specific places in Tasmania. It can be found in grasslands. It also grows in grassy forests near the town of Pontville.
Protecting the Fleshy Greenhood
The fleshy greenhood, Pterostylis wapstrarum, is a very rare plant. It is listed as "critically endangered" by the Australian Government. This means it is at a very high risk of disappearing forever. The Tasmanian Government also lists it as "endangered."
Scientists believe there are fewer than 500 individual plants left in total. None of these plants are known to be growing in protected areas like nature reserves. This makes them even more vulnerable.
This special orchid faces several threats:
- Habitat loss: Its natural home is being changed or cleared by people.
- Grazing: Rabbits eat the plants, which harms their survival.
- Fire: The wrong types of fires can damage their habitat.
- Weeds: Invasive weeds can grow and take over the areas where the orchids live.
- Pests: A tiny insect called the red-legged earth-mite (Halotydeus destructor) can destroy the plants.
Efforts are being made to protect this unique Tasmanian orchid.
