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Prasophyllum dossenum facts for kids

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Prasophyllum dossenum
Prasophyllum dossenum flower.jpg
Prasophyllum dossenum growing east of Guyra
Scientific classification

Prasophyllum dossenum is a special type of orchid. It grows only in a small part of northern New South Wales, Australia. This means it is endemic to that area. It has one dark green leaf shaped like a tube. It also has up to thirty flowers that smell nice. These flowers are pinkish-white and greenish-brown. They grow close together on a straight stem. This orchid is quite rare and likes to grow in grassy spots on the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales.

What it Looks Like

Prasophyllum dossenum is a plant that grows from the ground. It is a perennial plant, which means it lives for more than two years. It is also deciduous, so it loses its leaves at certain times. This plant has an underground tuber, which is like a storage organ. It can grow to be about 200 to 500 mm (8 to 20 inches) tall.

It has one dark green leaf that looks like a tube. This leaf is usually 200 to 400 mm (8 to 16 inches) long and 5 to 10 mm (0.2 to 0.4 inches) wide. The bottom part of the leaf is often reddish.

Prasophyllum dossenum habit
Prasophyllum dossenum habit

The plant produces between five and thirty flowers. These flowers are packed together on a spike that is 30 to 80 mm (1 to 3 inches) long. The flowers have a pleasant smell and are pinkish-white and greenish-brown.

Like other orchids in its group, the flowers of Prasophyllum dossenum are upside down. This means the labellum (a special petal) is above the column (the part with pollen) instead of below it.

  • The dorsal sepal (the top part of the flower) is shaped like an egg or a spear. It is 7 to 11 mm (0.3 to 0.4 inches) long and 4 to 5 mm (0.16 to 0.20 inches) wide. The bottom side is dark brown, and the top side has three stripes.
  • The lateral sepals (the side parts of the flower) are thin and spear-shaped. They are dark purplish-brown and 7 to 11 mm (0.3 to 0.4 inches) long. They are about 2.5 mm (0.1 inch) wide. They are swollen at the bottom and joined together for some of their length. Their tips are separate.
  • The petals (the main colorful parts) are also thin and spear-shaped. They are 8 to 10 mm (0.3 to 0.4 inches) long and about 3 mm (0.1 inch) wide. They spread out widely.
  • The labellum (the special lip-like petal) is egg-shaped. It is 9 to 12 mm (0.35 to 0.47 inches) long and 5 to 6 mm (0.20 to 0.24 inches) wide. It is swollen near its base. This labellum bends upwards at a 90-degree angle in the middle. The edge of the labellum spreads out widely and is wavy near its tip.
  • In the middle of the labellum, there is a thick, yellowish-green part called a callus. It has a channel or groove in it.

This orchid flowers from November to January. The flowers can stay open for up to two weeks.

How it was Named

Prasophyllum dossenum was officially described in 1991. It was named by a botanist named David Jones. He found a sample of this orchid near Guyra. The description was then published in a scientific book called Australian Orchid Research.

The second part of its name, dossenum, comes from a Latin word. It means "hunchback" or "humpback." This name refers to the swollen shape of the side sepals of the flower.

Where it Lives

This type of leek orchid likes to grow in grassy areas. You can find it at high places, usually above 800 meters (2,600 feet). It lives on the New England Tableland in New South Wales.

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