Pterostylis montana facts for kids

Pterostylis montana is a special kind of orchid known as a greenhood. It grows only in New Zealand. When this plant flowers, it has tall stems with long, thin leaves. It produces a single green flower with clear white stripes. This flower also has a unique, twisted part called a labellum.

What Does the Greenhood Look Like?

The Pterostylis montana is a plant that lives on land. It is a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It is also deciduous, so it loses its leaves at certain times. This plant grows from an underground tuber, which is like a small storage root. Often, these greenhoods grow together in small groups.

When the plant flowers, it has one green flower with clear white stripes. This flower grows on a stem that can be from 30 to 350 millimeters (about 1 to 14 inches) tall. The stem has up to six leaves. These leaves are long and thin, like a spear. The largest leaves can be 140 to 180 millimeters (about 5.5 to 7 inches) long and 10 millimeters (about 0.4 inches) wide.

The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, and the petals are joined together. They form a hood, which is called a "galea." This hood covers the central part of the flower, known as the column. The dorsal sepal is 18 to 30 millimeters (about 0.7 to 1.2 inches) tall. It stands up straight at the bottom but then curves forward.

The side sepals are also mostly upright. They spread apart from each other. There is a wide V-shape between them. The labellum, which is a special lip-like petal, is reddish-green. It is darker at its tip. This part is flat with a ridge in the middle, and its tip is twisted to one side. These greenhoods usually flower from September to December.

How the Greenhood Got Its Name

The Pterostylis montana was first officially described in 1949. A scientist named Edwin Hatch wrote about it. His description was published in a scientific book called Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand.

The second part of its name, montana, is a Latin word. It means "of mountains." This name was chosen because this greenhood often grows in mountain areas.

Where Does the Greenhood Live?

This greenhood plant can be found in many different places. It grows in thick forests and also in wet, spongy areas called peat bogs. You can find it on the North, South, and Chatham Islands of New Zealand.

Is the Greenhood in Danger?

Good news! The Pterostylis montana is currently considered "not threatened." This means there are enough of these plants, and they are not at risk of disappearing.