Large-hooded rufous greenhood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Large-hooded rufous greenhood |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pterostylis
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| Species: |
macrocalymma
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| Synonyms | |
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Oligochaetochilus macrocalymmus (M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones) Szlach. |
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The Pterostylis macrocalymma, often called the large-hooded rufous greenhood or Murchison rustyhood, is a special type of orchid. It belongs to the orchid family, Orchidaceae. This plant is endemic, meaning it grows naturally only in the south-west part of Western Australia. Both young plants and those ready to flower have a large group of leaves shaped like a rosette. When it flowers, it can have ten or more white flowers with cool green or pale brown stripes. It also has a unique, spoon-shaped part called a labellum that looks a bit like an insect.
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What Does This Orchid Look Like?
The large-hooded rufous greenhood is a plant that grows from the ground. It's a perennial herb, which means it lives for many years. It also loses its leaves during certain seasons. This orchid grows from an underground tuber, which is like a small storage root.
Leaves and Stems
Each plant has a rosette of six to ten leaves. These leaves are about 20 to 60 mm (0.8 to 2.4 in) long. They are also about 8 to 16 mm (0.3 to 0.6 in) wide. When the plant is about to flower, it grows a stem. The leaves at the base of this stem usually dry up by the time the flowers open.
Flowers
The flowering stem can grow up to 100 to 250 mm (4 to 10 in) tall. It can hold ten or more beautiful flowers. These flowers are a see-through white color. They have bold pale green or brown lines. Each flower leans forward and is about 25 to 28 mm (1.0 to 1.1 in) long. They are also about 10 to 12 mm (0.4 to 0.5 in) wide.
The top part of the flower, called the "galea," looks like a hood. It's made from the dorsal sepal and petals. This hood covers the central part of the flower. The dorsal sepal has a narrow tip that is 8 to 18 mm (0.3 to 0.7 in) long. The lower sepals, called lateral sepals, point downwards. They are wide and curve inwards like a dish. These sepals suddenly narrow into tips that are 20 to 25 mm (0.8 to 1.0 in) long. These tips then spread apart.
The most interesting part is the labellum. It's thick, dark brown, and looks like an insect. It's about 7 to 9 mm (0.3 to 0.4 in) long and 4 mm (0.2 in) wide. The "head" end has short hairs. The "body" part has five to eight long hairs on each side. This orchid usually flowers from August to early October.
How This Orchid Got Its Name
The Pterostylis macrocalymma was officially described in 1989. Two botanists, Mark Clements and David Jones, first wrote about it. They found a sample of the plant near where the North West Coastal Highway crosses the Murchison River. Their description was published in a research paper called Australian Orchid Research.
The second part of its scientific name, macrocalymma, comes from Ancient Greek words. "Makros" means "long," and "kalymma" means "a covering," "hood," or "veil." This name was chosen because of the orchid's large, hood-like galea.
Where Does This Orchid Grow?
The large-hooded rufous greenhood likes to grow in woodlands and shrublands. It can also be found on granite outcrops, which are large rock formations. You can find this orchid in Western Australia. It grows in an area known as the Geraldton Sandplains biogeographic region. This area stretches between the towns of Moora, Woodanilling, and Esperance.
Protecting This Orchid
The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has given Pterostylis macrocalymma a special classification. It is listed as "Priority One" flora. This means the plant is only found in a few places. These locations might be at risk, so it's very important to protect this unique orchid.
