Prasophyllum rostratum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Slaty leek orchid |
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The Prasophyllum rostratum, also known as the slaty leek orchid, is a special type of orchid that only grows in Tasmania. This means it is endemic to that island. It has a single leaf shaped like a tube and can have up to twenty-five greenish-brown flowers that are spread out along a stem. It looks a bit like another orchid, P. pyriforme, which grows in mainland Australia. However, the slaty leek orchid doesn't have the white or pink lip (called a labellum) that P. pyriforme does.
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What the Slaty Leek Orchid Looks Like
The slaty leek orchid is a plant that grows from an underground tuber (like a small potato). It's a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years, and it's also deciduous, so some parts might die back in certain seasons.
Its single leaf is shaped like a tube and can be about 250 to 600 mm (10 to 24 in) long and 5 to 8 mm (0.2 to 0.3 in) wide.
Flowers and Their Features
This orchid usually has between ten and twenty-five greenish to greenish-brown flowers. These flowers are loosely arranged on a flowering stem that can be 80 to 220 mm (3 to 9 in) long. The whole plant can grow to a height of 200 to 400 mm (8 to 16 in).
Each flower is about 14 to 16 mm (0.55 to 0.63 in) long and 8 to 10 mm (0.3 to 0.4 in) wide. Like other leek orchids, its flowers are upside down! This means the special lip, or labellum, is above the central part of the flower (the column) instead of below it.
The top part of the flower (called the dorsal sepal) is 9 to 12 mm (0.35 to 0.47 in) long and about 4 mm (0.16 in) wide. The two side sepals are 7 to 12 mm (0.28 to 0.47 in) long and about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide. They curve backwards and are separate from each other.
The petals are 6 to 11 mm (0.24 to 0.43 in) long and about 1 mm (0.04 in) wide. They curve forward and slightly upwards. The labellum (the lip) is 6 to 8 mm (0.24 to 0.31 in) long and about 4 mm (0.16 in) wide. It sharply turns upwards in the middle. There's a raised, fleshy bump called a callus in its center. The labellum also has a tip that looks like a small tail.
When it Flowers and How it Grows
Slaty leek orchids usually flower from October to December. Interestingly, if there were fires the previous summer, it really helps these orchids to flower more!
Naming the Slaty Leek Orchid
The slaty leek orchid was first officially described in 1840 by a scientist named John Lindley. He published its description in a book called The Genera and Species of Orchidaceous Plants.
The second part of its scientific name, rostratum, comes from a Latin word. It means "beaked" or "curved," which refers to the tail-like tip of the orchid's labellum.
Where the Slaty Leek Orchid Lives
You can find the slaty leek orchid growing in different types of open land, including areas with heath plants and sedge grasses. It mainly grows in the northern and north-western parts of Tasmania.
