Shrimp-flowered greenhood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shrimp-flowered greenhood |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pterostylis
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| Species: |
porrecta
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The Shrimp-flowered Greenhood (Pterostylis porrecta) is a special kind of orchid that grows only in New Zealand. When this plant flowers, it has leaves that look like grass on its stem. It also grows a single, small flower that is clear white and green. The side parts of the flower, called sepals, stick out almost flat in front of it.
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What Does the Shrimp-flowered Greenhood Look Like?
The Shrimp-flowered Greenhood is a plant that lives on land. It is a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It's also deciduous, so some parts die back each year. This plant is a herb and has a special underground part called a tuber, which stores food.
Leaves and Stems
When the plant is not flowering, its leaves grow in a circle close to the ground, like a rosette. There are usually three or four dark green leaves. These leaves are about 40 to 70 millimeters (1.6 to 2.8 inches) long and 4 to 6 millimeters (0.16 to 0.24 inches) wide.
When the plant flowers, it grows a stem that can be 60 to 200 millimeters (2.4 to 7.9 inches) tall. This stem has four or five more leaves wrapped around its base. These leaves are longer, about 45 to 120 millimeters (1.8 to 4.7 inches) long and 4 to 6 millimeters (0.16 to 0.24 inches) wide.
The Unique Flower
The Shrimp-flowered Greenhood produces a single, clear white flower with green lines. Each flower is about 18 to 22 millimeters (0.71 to 0.87 inches) long. The flower leans forward, and its top part (called the dorsal sepal) joins with the petals to form a hood. This hood covers the central part of the flower, known as the column.
There is a wide space between this hood and the two side sepals. These side sepals have long, pointy tips that spread out. They stick out almost flat in front of the flower. The labellum, which is a special lip-like part of the orchid flower, is gently curved. It is greenish with a pink tip and does not stick out past the side sepals. This orchid usually flowers in December and January.
How Was It Named?
The Shrimp-flowered Greenhood was officially described in 1997. Three botanists, David Jones, Brian Molloy, and Mark Clements, gave it its scientific name. They published their description in a magazine called The Orchadian.
The second part of its scientific name, porrecta, comes from a Latin word. It means "spread out" or "stretched," which describes how the flower's sepals look.
Where Does It Live?
The Shrimp-flowered Greenhood usually grows in places that have a lot of shade. You can find it in forests and areas with thick bushes. There are groups of these plants spread out across both the North Island and the South Island of New Zealand.
Is It Endangered?
The Shrimp-flowered Greenhood is listed as "at risk – naturally uncommon" under New Zealand's Threat Classification System. This means that while it's not in immediate danger of disappearing, it's not a very common plant. It needs to be watched and protected to make sure its populations stay healthy.
