Snug greenhood facts for kids

The Snug greenhood (scientific name: Pterostylis atriola) is a special type of orchid. It is only found in Tasmania, an island state of Australia. Like many orchids, this plant looks different depending on whether it is flowering or not.

If the plant is not flowering, it only has a group of leaves that grow in a circle, called a rosette. But when it's ready to flower, it grows a tall stem. This stem can have up to ten small, dark green, white, and brown flowers. The Snug greenhood is quite rare, found in only a few places.

What the Snug Greenhood Looks Like

The Snug greenhood is a plant that grows from an underground tuber, which is like a small storage root. 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.

When the plant is not flowering, it has three to six oval-shaped leaves. These leaves are about 5 to 14 millimeters (about 0.2 to 0.5 inches) long. They are also about 4 to 9 millimeters (about 0.15 to 0.35 inches) wide.

Flowering plants can have up to ten flowers on a tall stem. This stem can be 150 to 350 millimeters (about 6 to 14 inches) high. The flowers are spaced out along the stem. Each flower is about 9 millimeters (about 0.35 inches) long and 2 millimeters (about 0.08 inches) wide.

The flowers are dark green and white, with brown tips. Usually, two 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 over the central part of the flower, which is called the column. This hood curves forward and has a short point.

The side sepals stand upright and stay close to the hood. They have thin, thread-like tips that are about 3 millimeters long. These tips just barely stick out above the hood. The opening at the front of the flower is very small, only about 1 millimeter (about 0.04 inches) wide. The labellum, which is a special petal, is about 3 millimeters long. You can't see it from outside the flower.

The Snug greenhood usually flowers between January and April.

How the Snug Greenhood Got Its Name

The Snug greenhood was officially described in 1998. A botanist named David Jones gave it its scientific name, Pterostylis atriola. He wrote about it in a scientific book called Australian Orchid Research.

The plant was first found on the plains near a place called Snug in Tasmania. This is why it's commonly called the "Snug greenhood."

The second part of its scientific name, atriola, comes from a Latin word. Atriolum means 'small room' or 'hall'. This name was chosen because the flower has a very small opening at its front, like a tiny entrance.

Where the Snug Greenhood Lives

The Snug greenhood typically grows in rocky areas. It prefers dry forests where there are scattered shrubs. You can find it in different places, from areas near the coast up to mountains. It can grow at altitudes as high as 600 meters (about 2,000 feet).

Protecting the Snug Greenhood

The Snug greenhood is a rare plant, and efforts are being made to protect it. It was once listed as "endangered" by the Australian Government. This meant it was at very high risk of disappearing forever.

When the plant was first discovered, scientists thought there were only about 100 of them. But later, more groups of these orchids were found. Now, it's believed there are about 1,000 individual plants.

Because more plants were found, its status was changed. The Tasmanian Government now lists it as "rare" under the Threatened Species Protection Act 1995. This means it's still a plant that needs special care and protection to make sure it continues to thrive.