Blue-tongued greenhood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blue-tongued greenhood |
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|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pterostylis
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| Species: |
dubia
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The blue-tongued greenhood (scientific name: Pterostylis dubia) is a special plant from the orchid family. It is only found in Tasmania, Australia. This plant has a circle of thick leaves at its bottom. Its flower is dark green and white with thin petals and a dark blue-green 'tongue' called a labellum.
About the Blue-Tongued Greenhood
The blue-tongued greenhood is a plant that grows in the ground. It lives for many years, even though its leaves die back each year. It grows back from a special underground part called a tuber, which is like a small potato.
- Leaves: Its leaves grow in a circle, like a rose. They are about 1.5 to 6 cm (0.6 to 2.4 inches) long and 0.8 to 2 cm (0.3 to 0.8 inches) wide. Each leaf has a small stem.
- Flowers: When the plant flowers, it grows a single dark green and white flower. This flower is about 2 to 2.6 cm (0.8 to 1 inch) long and 0.9 to 1.2 cm (0.4 to 0.5 inches) wide. The flower stem can be 8 to 20 cm (3 to 8 inches) tall and has leaves directly on the stem.
- Flower Parts:
- The top part of the flower, called the "galea," looks like a hood. It is made from the top sepal and the petals joined together.
- The petals are not wide and are similar in length to the top sepal.
- There is a wide space on each side of the flower between the galea and the lower sepals.
- The lower sepals stand upright and have a pointed tip. They are about 1.4 to 2.2 cm (0.6 to 0.9 inches) long, just a bit taller than the galea.
- There is a small dip or notch in the middle of the bulging part between the lower sepals.
- Labellum: The most noticeable part is the labellum, which is the 'tongue' of the orchid. It is about 1.3 to 1.7 cm (0.5 to 0.7 inches) long and about 3 mm (0.1 inch) wide. It is dark bluish-green, curved, and sticks out clearly from the flower.
- Flowering Time: You can see these orchids flowering from November to January.
Naming the Blue-Tongued Greenhood
The blue-tongued greenhood was first officially described in 1810. A famous botanist named Robert Brown gave it its scientific name, Pterostylis dubia. He published his description in a book called Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen.
The second part of its scientific name, dubia, comes from a Latin word. It means "uncertain" or "doubtful."
Where it Lives
The blue-tongued greenhood grows in wet forests. You can find it in central and southern Tasmania, usually in places that are higher than 500 meters (about 1,640 feet) above sea level.
