Halbury greenhood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Halbury greenhood |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pterostylis
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| Species: |
lepida
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| Synonyms | |
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Oligochaetochilus lepidus D.L.Jones |
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The Pterostylis lepida, commonly known as the Halbury greenhood, is a special plant from the orchid family, called Orchidaceae. This orchid is only found in South Australia, which means it is endemic there.
Both young plants and flowering plants have a group of leaves that grow in a circle, like a rose. This is called a rosette. When the plant flowers, it can have up to ten green flowers. These flowers have cool brown and clear stripes. They also have a small part called a labellum that looks a bit like an insect. The Halbury greenhood is very rare and is only known from two small areas.
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What Does the Halbury Greenhood Look Like?
The Halbury greenhood (Pterostylis lepida) is a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It grows from an underground tuber, which is like a storage root. This plant is also a deciduous herb, so its leaves might die back during certain seasons.
It usually has between five and ten egg-shaped leaves that form a rosette. This rosette can be about 50 mm (2 in) wide. When the plant flowers, it still has a rosette of leaves at its base. However, these leaves often dry up by the time the flowers open.
The plant grows a flowering stem that is about 100–300 mm (4–10 in) tall. On this stem, there can be three to ten green flowers. These flowers have clear white and brown stripes. Usually, only one or two flowers are open at the same time.
The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, and the petals join together to form a hood. This hood is also known as a "galea." The dorsal sepal has a narrow tip that is about 10 mm (0.4 in) long. The side sepals point downwards and have hairy edges. They also have narrow tips, up to 20 mm (0.8 in) long, which curve upwards and spread apart.
The labellum is a thick, dark brown part of the flower. It is about 4 mm (0.2 in) long and looks like an insect. It has long, silky hairs along its edges. You can see these orchids flowering from August to November.
How It Got Its Name
The Halbury greenhood was first officially described in 2009 by a botanist named David Jones. He found a sample of the plant near Halbury. At first, he gave it the name Oligochaetochilus lepidus. Before this, people just called it Pterostylis sp. 'Halbury'.
David Jones published his description in a magazine called The Orchadian. Then, in 2010, another botanist named Gary Backhouse changed its name to Pterostylis lepida. The second part of its scientific name, lepida, is a Latin word. It means "pleasant," "elegant," or "fine."
Where Does It Live?
The Halbury greenhood (Pterostylis lepida) grows in a type of forest called mallee woodland. This kind of woodland has many shrubs growing close together, forming a dense layer. It prefers to grow on flat areas.
This rare orchid is only found in two small groups of plants. These groups are located near the towns of Halbury and Moonta in South Australia.
Why Is It Endangered?
The Halbury greenhood is listed as "endangered" under an important Australian law called the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. This means it is at a very high risk of disappearing forever if we don't protect it.
The main dangers to this special orchid are:
- Weed Invasion: Other plants, especially bearded oat and brome grasses, grow into its habitat. These weeds compete with the orchid for space, water, and sunlight, making it hard for the orchid to survive.
- Grazing: Rabbits eat the plants, which stops them from growing and reproducing.
- Trampling: If people or animals walk over the plants, they can damage or destroy them.
Protecting these small populations is very important to help the Halbury greenhood survive.
