Leafy greenhood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Leafy greenhood |
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| Pterostylis cucullata subsp. cucullata growing on Wilsons Promontory | |
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| Genus: |
Pterostylis
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| Species: |
cucullata
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The Pterostylis cucullata, often called the leafy greenhood, is a special plant in the orchid family. It grows only in south-eastern Australia. This orchid has a group of thick leaves at its base. It also grows a single flower that is white, green, and reddish-brown.
Contents
About the Leafy Greenhood Orchid
What it Looks Like
The leafy greenhood is a plant that grows from an underground storage part called a tuber. Its leaves die back each year, but the plant grows again from the tuber. It usually has four to seven leaves that are shaped like eggs or oblongs. Some of these leaves form a circle at the base of the plant. Other leaves partly wrap around the flower stem.
These leaves are about 40 to 100 millimeters (1.5 to 4 inches) long. They are also about 15 to 30 millimeters (0.6 to 1.2 inches) wide. They are dark green, thick, and flat.
A single flower grows on a stem that is 50 to 250 millimeters (2 to 10 inches) tall. The flowers are about 35 to 40 millimeters (1.4 to 1.6 inches) long and 20 to 25 millimeters (0.8 to 1 inch) wide. They are white, green, and reddish-brown. The top part of the flower and its side petals join together. They curve forward to form a hood, which is called the "galea".
There is a wide space on each side of the flower. The side sepals (leaf-like parts) have a pointed tip. These tips are about 20 to 25 millimeters (0.8 to 1 inch) long. They are only a little longer than the hood. The flower also has a deep notch between these sepals. The labellum, which is the orchid's lip, is about 14 to 17 millimeters (0.5 to 0.7 inches) long. It is about 4 millimeters (0.16 inches) wide. This lip is slightly curved, dark brown, and rounded. It sticks out just a little from the flower. The leafy greenhood usually flowers from August to October.
Naming and Types
The leafy greenhood was first officially described in 1810. A botanist named Robert Brown gave it its scientific name, Pterostylis cucullata. The word cucullata comes from a Latin word. It means "cap" or "hood," which describes the shape of the flower.
There are two slightly different types, or subspecies, of the leafy greenhood:
- Pterostylis cucullata subspecies cucullata: This type grows to a height of 50 to 120 millimeters (2 to 4.7 inches).
- Pterostylis cucullata subspecies sylvicola: This type can grow taller, up to 250 millimeters (10 inches) high.
Where it Lives
The leafy greenhood is found in Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania. However, it only grows in small, separate groups. Both subspecies grow in Victoria, often in small clusters near the coast or along rivers. In South Australia, it is very rare and grows on shady forest slopes.
In Tasmania, this orchid is no longer found on the main island or King Island. It now only lives on Hunter Island and Three Hummock Island in Bass Strait.
Protecting the Leafy Greenhood
The Australian Government lists Pterostylis cucullata as "vulnerable." This means it is at risk of becoming endangered. The biggest dangers to this orchid are losing its natural home and disturbances to its environment. Other threats include invasive weeds and animals like rabbits, hares, and snails eating the plants.
