Prasophyllum odoratum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fragrant leek orchid |
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| Prasophyllum odoratum growing near Guyra | |
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Prasophyllum odoratum, commonly known as the fragrant leek orchid, Rogers scented leek orchid or sweet leek orchid is a species of orchid endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single tubular leaf and up to fifty fragrant green and white flowers with reddish marks.
Description
Prasophyllum odoratum is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single tube-shaped leaf up to 700 mm (30 in) long and 2–8 mm (0.08–0.3 in) wide with a purplish base. Between ten and fifty flowers are arranged along a flowering spike 60–200 mm (2–8 in) long. The flowers are green and white with reddish marks and are scented. As with others in the genus, the flowers are inverted so that the labellum is above the column rather than below it. The dorsal sepal is egg-shaped to lance-shaped, 10–12 mm (0.4–0.5 in) long and turned downwards. The lateral sepals are linear to lance-shaped, 10–12 mm (0.4–0.5 in) long and free from each other. The petals are linear, to lance-shaped, 6–9 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long, white or with a reddish stripe with wavy margins. The labellum is white, egg-shaped, 6–12 mm (0.2–0.5 in) long, 4 mm (0.2 in) wide and turns sharply upwards with very wavy or ruffled edges. Flowering occurs from October to January.
Taxonomy and naming
Prasophyllum odoratum was first formally described in 1909 by Richard Sanders Rogers and the description was published in Transactions, proceedings and report, Royal Society of South Australia. The specific epithet (odoratum) is a Latin word meaning "having a smell" or "fragrant".
Distribution and habitat
The fragrant leek orchid grows in a wide range of habitats in New South Wales as far inland as Griffith and is widespread in Victoria.
