Pterostylis amabilis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pterostylis amabilis |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pterostylis
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| Species: |
amabilis
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| Synonyms | |
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Speculantha amabilis D.L.Jones & L.M.Copel. |
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Pterostylis amabilis is a special kind of orchid that only grows in eastern Australia. It's often called a "greenhood" because of its unique flower shape. Like many orchids, this plant looks different depending on whether it's flowering or not.
When it's not flowering, it has a group of leaves that lie flat on the ground, like a small circle called a rosette. But when it's ready to bloom, it doesn't have these leaves at its base. Instead, it grows a tall stem with up to ten tiny, beautiful flowers. These flowers are usually white and have shades of red or reddish-brown. This orchid is similar to another one called P. parviflora, but Pterostylis amabilis has bigger rosette leaves and larger, brighter flowers.
What Does the Greenhood Orchid Look Like?
The Pterostylis amabilis 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 some parts might die back in certain seasons, and it's a herb, meaning it has soft stems, not woody ones.
When the plant is not flowering, it has a rosette of three to five bright green leaves. These leaves are shaped like broad eggs and lie flat on the ground. Each leaf is about 6 to 16 millimeters (about 0.2 to 0.6 inches) long and 3 to 12 millimeters (about 0.1 to 0.5 inches) wide.
Flowering plants grow a thin, wiry stem that can be 150 to 500 millimeters (about 6 to 20 inches) tall. On this stem, there can be up to ten flowers, spaced out nicely. Each flower is about 9 to 11 millimeters (about 0.3 to 0.4 inches) long and 3 to 5 millimeters (about 0.1 to 0.2 inches) wide.
The flowers are a mix of bright reddish-brown and white. Usually, up to four flowers are open at the same time. The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, and the petals are joined together. They form a hood, or "galea," over the central part of the flower called the column. This galea looks a bit puffed up near its base and has a rough surface.
The side parts of the flower, called the lateral sepals, stand upright and stay close to the galea. They have thin, thread-like tips that are about 2 millimeters (about 0.08 inches) long. These tips don't stick out past the top of the galea. The space between the bases of the lateral sepals, called the sinus, bulges forward and curves inward at the top. The special lip of the orchid, called the labellum, cannot be seen from outside the flower. This orchid usually flowers in February and March.
How Did It Get Its Name?
This greenhood orchid was first officially described in 2014 by two botanists, David Jones and Lachlan Copeland. They first named it Speculantha amabilis. Their description was published in a magazine called the Australian Orchid Review.
In 2015, David Jones decided to change the name to Pterostylis amabilis. He did this to fit different ways scientists classify plants. The second part of the name, amabilis, comes from a Latin word that means "lovely." This name was chosen because of the beautiful colors of its flowers.
Where Does This Orchid Grow?
Pterostylis amabilis likes to grow in rich soil found in moist, tall forests. You can find it in the higher areas of the New England Tableland in Australia.
