Illawarra rustyhood facts for kids
The Illawarra rustyhood (scientific name: Pterostylis gibbosa) is a special type of orchid found only in New South Wales, Australia. It's also sometimes called the Illawarra greenhood. This unique plant has a group of leaves at its base and grows beautiful bright green flowers. These flowers have cool see-through parts and a dark, fleshy lip that looks a bit like an insect!
Quick facts for kids Illawarra rustyhood |
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| In bushland at Albion Park | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pterostylis
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| Species: |
gibbosa
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| Synonyms | |
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Oligochaetochilus gibbosus (R.Br.) Szlach. |
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What Does It Look Like?
The Illawarra rustyhood is a plant that lives on the ground and comes back year after year. It grows from an underground tuber (like a small potato). It has a group of four to seven oval-shaped leaves at its base. These leaves are about 15–35 mm (0.6–1 in) long and 8–15 mm (0.3–0.6 in) wide. When the plant flowers, these leaves usually dry up.
This orchid can grow up to nine bright green flowers on a tall stem, which can be 150–450 mm (6–20 in) tall. Each flower is about 20–23 mm (0.8–0.9 in) long and 11–13 mm (0.4–0.5 in) wide. The flowers have see-through sections and lean forward. There are also a few leaves wrapped around the flowering stem.
The top part of the flower, called the "galea," forms a hood over the central part. The side parts of the flower (called sepals) point downwards. They are wider than the galea and have narrow, brownish tips.
One of the most interesting parts is the "labellum," which is like the orchid's lip. It's thick, dark brown, and looks a lot like an insect! It's about 5 mm (0.2 in) long and 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide, with a groove down the middle. The "head" end of this insect-like labellum has many short hairs, and the "body" part has longer hairs on each side.
You can usually see these orchids flowering from August to November.
Its Name and History
The Illawarra rustyhood was first officially described in 1810 by a botanist named Robert Brown. He published his description in a book called Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen.
The scientific name gibbosa comes from a Latin word that means "very humped" or "crooked." This probably refers to the shape of the flower.
Where Does It Live?
The Illawarra rustyhood grows in forests where there are also grasses. You can find small groups of these plants in the Hunter, Illawarra, and Shoalhaven areas of New South Wales. Sadly, it is no longer found in the Cumberland Plain, which is where it was first discovered.
Protecting This Orchid
The Illawarra rustyhood is listed as "endangered" by the Australian Government under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. This means it's at a high risk of disappearing forever if we don't protect it.
The main reasons this orchid is in danger are:
- Urbanization: More towns and cities are being built, taking away its natural habitat.
- Grazing: Farm animals eating the plants.
- Weed Invasion: Other plants (weeds) growing and taking over its space.
- Inappropriate Fire Regimes: Fires that happen too often or not often enough can harm the orchid's environment.
