Glassy leafy greenhood facts for kids

The Pterostylis vitrea, also known as the glassy leafy greenhood, is a special type of orchid plant. It belongs to the orchid family and is found only in Queensland, Australia. This means it is endemic to that area.

When this plant is not flowering, it has a group of leaves shaped like a circle, called a rosette. These leaves grow on a short stem. When the plant is ready to flower, it doesn't have the rosette of leaves. Instead, it grows a tall stem with up to seven amazing flowers. These flowers are a see-through green color with darker green lines. The flowering stem also has five to seven leaves on it.

What Does the Glassy Greenhood Look Like?

The glassy leafy greenhood is a perennial plant, which means it lives for more than two years. It's also a deciduous herb, so its leaves might fall off at certain times. This plant grows from a special underground part called a tuber, which is like a small storage organ.

Leaves and Stems

• Plants that are not flowering have a rosette of three to six leaves.
• Each leaf is about 1 to 4 centimeters (0.4 to 1.6 inches) long.
• They are also about 3 to 5 millimeters (0.1 to 0.2 inches) wide.
• These leaves grow on a stalk that is about 3 to 6 centimeters (1.2 to 2.4 inches) tall.

Flowers and Their Parts

• Flowering plants grow a spike, or tall stem, that can be 15 to 40 centimeters (6 to 16 inches) high.
• This spike has five to seven leaves on its stem, each 2.5 to 9 centimeters (1 to 3.5 inches) long.
• The flowers are a beautiful translucent green with darker marks.
• Each flower is about 1.3 to 1.7 centimeters (0.5 to 0.7 inches) long.
• They are also about 6 to 8 millimeters (0.2 to 0.3 inches) wide.
• The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, and the petals join together. They form a hood over the central part of the flower, which is called the column.
• The dorsal sepal often has a brown tip.
• The lateral sepals, which are on the sides, point downwards.
• They are about 1.2 to 1.5 centimeters (0.5 to 0.6 inches) long.
• These lateral sepals are joined together for more than half of their length and also have brown tips.
• The labellum is a special lip-like part of the flower.
• It is about 5 to 7 millimeters (0.2 to 0.3 inches) long and 2 to 3 millimeters (0.08 to 0.12 inches) wide.
• The labellum is cream-colored and has a dark stripe down its middle.
• You can usually see these orchids flowering from April to July.

How the Glassy Greenhood Got Its Name

The glassy leafy greenhood was first officially described in 2006. A botanist named David Jones gave it the name Bunochilus vitreus. He wrote about it in a scientific publication called Australian Orchid Research. He found a sample of the plant near a town called Maleny.

Later, in 2008, another botanist named Peter Bostock changed its name to Pterostylis vitrea. The second part of its scientific name, vitrea, comes from a Latin word. It means "glassy," which perfectly describes the see-through look of its flowers!

Where the Glassy Greenhood Lives

The Pterostylis vitrea orchid likes to grow in wet forests. You can also find it on the edges of rainforests. Sometimes, it even grows near rocky cliffs. These special plants are found in an area between Kenilworth and the McPherson Range in Queensland.