Clubbed snail orchid facts for kids

The clubbed snail orchid (scientific name: Pterostylis glebosa) is a special type of orchid. It is only found in the south-west part of Western Australia.

When it's not flowering, it has a circle of leaves (called a rosette) that lie flat on the ground. But when it's ready to bloom, it usually doesn't have these leaves. Instead, it grows a single green and white flower. This flower has unique, club-shaped parts called sepals on its sides. Sometimes, thousands of these orchids grow together in large groups!

What Does the Clubbed Snail Orchid Look Like?

The clubbed snail orchid is a plant that grows on the ground (we call this 'terrestrial'). It's a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It's also deciduous, which means some parts of it die back each year. This plant is a herb and has a special underground storage part called a tuber. Sometimes, many thousands of these plants grow together in big groups.

When the plant is not flowering, it has a rosette of leaves. Each of these leaves is about 15 to 20 millimetres (0.6 to 0.8 inches) long. They are also about 10 to 15 millimetres (0.4 to 0.6 inches) wide.

When the plant flowers, it usually doesn't have the rosette of leaves. Instead, it grows a single flower that is green and white. This flower is about 12 to 17 millimetres (0.5 to 0.7 inches) long. It is also about 7 to 9 millimetres (0.3 to 0.4 inches) wide. The flower grows on a stem that can be 60 to 250 millimetres (2.4 to 9.8 inches) tall. There are also three to six leaves on the flowering stem. These leaves are about 10 to 25 millimetres (0.4 to 1 inch) long and 5 to 14 millimetres (0.2 to 0.6 inches) wide.

The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, and the petals are joined together. They form a hood-like shape over the central part of the flower, which is called the column. This hood is also known as a "galea." The dorsal sepal has a rounded tip. The side sepals are held close to this galea. They almost close off the front of the flower. These side sepals have tips that stand upright and are 7 to 15 millimetres (0.3 to 0.6 inches) long. These tips are thick and look like clubs. The labellum (a special part of the orchid flower) is quite small and narrow. You usually can't see it from outside the flower. These orchids bloom from August to October.

How Was the Clubbed Snail Orchid Named?

The clubbed snail orchid, Pterostylis glebosa, was officially described in 2014. It was named by two botanists, David Jones and Christopher French. They described it from a plant found near Gingin. Their description was published in a magazine called Australian Orchid Review. Before this, the plant was known as Pterostylis sp. 'clubbed snail orchid'.

The second part of its scientific name, glebosa, comes from a Latin word. It means "lumpy." This name was chosen because of the swollen, club-like tips of the side sepals on the flower.

Where Does the Clubbed Snail Orchid Live?

The clubbed snail orchid usually grows in wet, swampy areas. You can often find it among sedges (grass-like plants) and under Melaleuca trees. Sometimes, part of its flowering stem even grows in shallow water.

It grows in an area between Eneabba and Manjimup. This region includes the Jarrah Forest and Swan Coastal Plain areas of Western Australia.

Is the Clubbed Snail Orchid Protected?

The Government of Western Australia's Department of Parks and Wildlife has listed Pterostylis glebosa as "not threatened." This means that, for now, there are enough of these orchids, and they are not in danger of disappearing.