Ruddy hood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ruddy hood |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pterostylis
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| Species: |
perculta
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| Synonyms | |
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Oligochaetochilus percultus M.A.Clem. & C.J.French |
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The ruddy hood (scientific name: Pterostylis perculta) is a special type of orchid plant. It grows only in the south-west part of Western Australia. Both young and older plants have a group of leaves that look like a rosette. When the plant flowers, it can have up to five reddish-brown and white flowers. These flowers have short tips on their sepals.
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What Does the Ruddy Hood Look Like?
The ruddy hood is a plant that grows from an underground tuber. It is a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It also has a rosette of leaves. This rosette can be up to 30 millimeters (about 1.2 inches) wide.
Flowers and Stems
When the plant flowers, it grows a stem that is 70 to 150 millimeters (about 2.8 to 5.9 inches) tall. This stem can hold up to five flowers. The flowers are reddish-brown and white and are 4 to 6 millimeters (about 0.16 to 0.24 inches) wide.
The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, and the petals form a hood. This hood covers the central part of the flower. The lower sepals point downwards and have short tips that curve forward. The labellum, which is a special part of the orchid, is small and dark brown. It looks a bit like an insect.
When Does it Flower?
Ruddy hood orchids usually flower from September to November.
How Was This Orchid Named?
This special orchid was first officially described in 2014. Two botanists, Mark Clements and Christopher French, gave it the name Oligochaetochilus percultus. They found a sample of the plant near Cascade.
Later, in 2015, another botanist named David Jones changed its name to Pterostylis perculta. This was done to fit different ways of classifying plants. The word perculta comes from Latin and means "highly adorned" or "very fancy."
Where Does the Ruddy Hood Grow?
The ruddy hood orchid grows in Western Australia. You can find it in rocky soil in areas with shrubs and mallee woodland. It grows between the Stirling Range and the Thomas River.
Is the Ruddy Hood Orchid Safe?
The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife says that Pterostylis perculta is "not threatened." This means it is not currently in danger of disappearing.
