Pterostylis agrestis facts for kids

Pterostylis agrestis is a special kind of plant from the orchid family. It's found only in Victoria, Australia. This orchid has a group of leaves that grow in a circle, called a rosette. When it blooms, it has up to fourteen see-through green flowers. Each flower has a small, greenish-black tip on its lip. It looks a bit like another orchid, the black-tip greenhood (Pterostylis bicolor), but its flowers are smaller and closer together.

Discover the Greenhood Orchid

Pterostylis agrestis 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. It's also deciduous, so its leaves fall off at certain times.

What Does It Look Like?

This orchid has a rosette of five to eight leaves. These leaves are shaped like eggs and are packed closely together. Each leaf is about 6 to 20 millimeters (0.2 to 0.8 inches) long. They are also about 3 to 8 millimeters (0.1 to 0.3 inches) wide.

When the orchid flowers, it has three to fourteen green flowers. These flowers are see-through and have darker green lines. Each flower is about 8 to 10 millimeters (0.3 to 0.4 inches) long. They grow on a stem that is 50 to 120 millimeters (2 to 4.7 inches) tall. This stem also has four to six leaves on it.

Flower Parts Explained

The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, and the petals form a hood. This hood covers the central part of the flower, called the column. The lower parts, known as the lateral sepals, point downwards. They are about 4 to 6 millimeters (0.16 to 0.24 inches) long. These sepals are joined together for most of their length.

The labellum is the orchid's lip. It's shaped like an egg and is about 2 millimeters (0.08 inches) long and wide. It's green and has a greenish-black tip that points forward. This tip has three small ridges. These orchids usually flower from September to October.

Naming This Unique Orchid

This orchid was first officially described in 2009. A scientist named David Jones gave it the name Hymenochilus agrestis. He described it from a plant found near Sutton Grange. His description was published in a magazine called The Orchadian.

How Its Name Changed

Later, in 2010, another scientist named Gary Backhouse changed its name. He renamed it Pterostylis agrestis. The second part of its name, agrestis, comes from a Latin word. It means "land," "rural," or "wild." This name fits because it's a wild plant.

Where Does This Orchid Live?

This greenhood orchid is not very well known. It has been found in grassy areas in central Victoria, Australia. You might find it near places like Bacchus Marsh, Maldon, Sutton Grange, and Taradale.

Comparing Habitats

Another similar orchid, Pterostylis bicolor, is usually found in different places. That orchid prefers to grow in woodlands or coastal scrub areas. This helps scientists tell the two similar species apart.