Prasophyllum tortilis facts for kids

Prasophyllum tortilis is a special type of orchid that only grows in South Australia. It has one long, tube-shaped leaf. Its flowers are purplish-brown and green, with a purple "lip" called a labellum.

Scientists only recently identified this plant. Before, they thought it was another orchid called P. fitzgeraldii. But Prasophyllum tortilis has fewer, smaller, darker flowers that don't last as long. It also looks a bit like P. goldsackii, but its flowers are thicker.

What Does the Twisted Leek Orchid Look Like?

Prasophyllum tortilis is a plant that grows in the ground. It comes back every year and loses its leaves in the colder months. It has a special underground storage part called a tuber.

Each plant has one dark green leaf that looks like a tube. It is about 120 to 250 millimeters (5 to 10 inches) long. The leaf is narrower at its purplish base.

The plant grows a flowering stem that is about 40 to 60 millimeters (1.5 to 2.5 inches) tall. Along this stem, you can find four to ten purplish-brown and green flowers. Each flower is about 6 to 8 millimeters (0.2 to 0.3 inches) long.

Like other orchids in its group, the flowers are upside down. This means the "lip" (labellum) is above the central part of the flower, not below it.

The top leaf-like part of the flower, called the sepal, is shaped like a spear or an egg. It is greenish with a brown stripe down the middle. The two side sepals are dark purple and twisted together. The petals are purplish with white edges.

The labellum, or "lip," is purple and curves upwards. It has wavy or crinkled edges with tiny hair-like bumps. There's also a raised, greenish-yellow lump in the center of the labellum. This orchid usually flowers from late September to mid-October.

How This Orchid Got Its Name

Prasophyllum tortilis was officially described in 2017. Two botanists, David Jones and Robert Bates, wrote about it. They found a sample of the plant in the Wanilla Conservation Park.

The second part of its name, tortilis, comes from a Latin word. It means "twisted." This name refers to the twisted parts of this orchid's flowers.

Where Does It Grow?

This leek orchid mostly grows in hilly woodlands. You can find it between the Eyre Peninsula and the southern Mount Lofty Ranges in South Australia.