Coastal maroonhood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Coastal maroonhood |
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|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pterostylis
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| Species: |
oblonga
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The coastal maroonhood (scientific name: Pterostylis oblonga) is a special type of orchid. It grows only in New South Wales, Australia, along the coast and on the tablelands. Both young plants and those ready to flower have a flat group of dark green leaves, called a rosette, that sits on the ground. When the plant flowers, it produces a small greenish-brown and white bloom with darker brown tips.
What Does It Look Like?
The coastal maroonhood is a plant that lives for many years, even though its leaves die back each year. It grows from an underground tuber, which is like a small storage root.
- Leaves: Both flowering and non-flowering plants have a rosette of dark green leaves. Each leaf is about 20 to 60 millimeters (0.8 to 2.4 inches) long and 10 to 20 millimeters (0.4 to 0.8 inches) wide.
- Flower Stem: Flowering plants grow a single stem that can be 80 to 220 millimeters (3.1 to 8.7 inches) tall.
- Flower: The flower itself is greenish-brown and white. It is about 14 to 17 millimeters (0.6 to 0.7 inches) long and 5 to 9 millimeters (0.2 to 0.4 inches) wide.
- Hood: The top part of the flower, called the "galea," looks like a hood. It is formed by the top sepal and petals joining together. This hood covers the central part of the flower, called the column, and has a dark brown tip.
- Side Parts: There is a clear space between the petals and the side sepals. The gap between the side sepals has a small dip in the middle and curves a little forward.
- Lip: The flower's "lip," or labellum, is about 5 to 6 millimeters (0.2 inches) long and 2 millimeters (0.08 inches) wide. It is brown and has a blunt end.
- Flowering Time: You can see these orchids in bloom from July to September.
How It Got Its Name
The coastal maroonhood was officially described in 2006 by a botanist named David Jones. He found a sample of the plant near Bawley Point in New South Wales. The scientific name oblonga comes from a Latin word. It means "longer than broad," which describes the shape of some parts of the plant.
Where Does It Grow?
This special orchid mainly grows in forests along the coast and close to the coast. You can find it in New South Wales, stretching from Coffs Harbour down to Nowra.
