Insect-lipped rufous greenhood facts for kids

The Insect-lipped rufous greenhood (scientific name: Pterostylis insectifera) is a special type of orchid plant. It is also known as the leaden rustyhood. This plant grows only in the south-west part of Western Australia. It's called "insect-lipped" because a part of its flower looks like an insect!

Both young and flowering plants have a group of leaves that grow in a circle, called a rosette. When the plant flowers, it can have up to eight or more flowers. These flowers have long, stiff parts called sepals. They also have a unique part called a labellum that sticks out and looks like an insect.

What Does This Orchid Look Like?

The Pterostylis insectifera is a plant that grows from an underground storage part called a tuber. It is a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It is also deciduous, which means it loses its leaves at certain times.

Leaves and Stems

This orchid usually has between five and twelve leaves. Each leaf is about 18 to 45 mm (0.7 to 1.8 inches) long. They are also about 8 to 12 mm (0.3 to 0.5 inches) wide. When the plant is ready to flower, the leaves at the bottom of the stem often dry up.

Flowers

The flowers grow on a tall stem that can be 200 to 350 mm (8 to 14 inches) high. There are usually two to eight flowers on each stem. These flowers are about 20 to 25 mm (0.8 to 1.0 inches) long and 7 to 9 mm (0.3 to 0.4 inches) wide. They are a mix of white, green, and dark brown colors.

The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, and the petals form a "hood" over the center. This hood helps protect the flower's inner parts. The side sepals point downwards. They are stiff and narrower than the hood. These sepals then become very thin tips, about 10 to 16 mm (0.4 to 0.6 inches) long. These tips point forward, almost parallel to each other.

The Insect-Like Labellum

The most interesting part is the labellum. It is thick and dark brown, looking very much like an insect! It is about 4 to 5 mm (0.16 to 0.20 inches) long and 2 mm (0.08 inches) wide. One end of the labellum looks like an enlarged "head" with short bristles. The "body" part has eight to twelve longer hairs.

When Does It Flower?

You can see these unique orchids flowering from September to November.

How It Got Its Name

The Pterostylis insectifera was first officially described in 1989. A scientist named Mark Clements gave it its formal name. He studied a plant that he grew in the Australian National Botanic Gardens in 1980. The original plant material was found by Mark Clements near a place called Hyden.

The second part of its scientific name, insectifera, comes from a Latin word. "Insectiferum" means 'insect bearing'. This name was chosen because the labellum of the flower looks so much like an insect.

Where Does It Grow?

The insect-lipped rufous greenhood likes to grow in woodlands and shrublands. Sometimes, you can find it growing on rocky areas called granite outcrops. It grows in several regions of Western Australia. These areas include places between Karroun Hill, Ravensthorpe, and Norseman.

Protecting This Orchid

The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has looked at this orchid. They have classified Pterostylis insectifera as "not threatened." This means it is not currently in danger of disappearing.