Northern greenhood facts for kids

The Pterostylis stricta, also known as the northern greenhood, is a special type of orchid. It grows only in Queensland, Australia. This plant has a group of leaves that form a circle, like a rosette. When it blooms, it shows off a single, beautiful flower. This flower is a see-through white with green lines and a reddish-brown tip. It also has a curved part called a labellum that sticks out.

What Does the Northern Greenhood Look Like?

The northern greenhood is a perennial plant, which means it lives for more than two years. It's also a deciduous plant, so its leaves fall off at certain times. This plant is a herb that grows from an underground tuber, which is like a small storage root. It has a rosette of crinkly leaves. Each leaf is about 15 to 60 mm (0.6 to 2.4 in) long and 10 to 20 mm (0.4 to 0.8 in) wide.

When the plant flowers, it grows a single white flower with green lines and a reddish-brown tip. The flower is about 20 to 25 mm (0.8 to 1.0 in) long and 10 to 12 mm (0.4 to 0.5 in) wide. It sits on a stem that can be 100 to 300 mm (3.9 to 11.8 in) tall.

Flower Parts Explained

The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, and the petals join together. They form a hood, or "galea," over the central part of the flower called the column. The dorsal sepal is about the same length as the petals, and all have a sharp point.

You can see a wide gap on each side of the flower. This gap is between the petals and the side sepals. The side sepals stand upright and have a pointy tip, about 12 to 15 mm (0.5 to 0.6 in) long. There's also a wide, bulging area between them called a sinus.

The labellum is a special lip-like part of the flower. It is dark reddish-brown, curved, and sticks out above the sinus. It measures about 14 to 16 mm (0.55 to 0.63 in) long and about 4 mm (0.16 in) wide. Northern greenhoods usually bloom from March to July.

How Was This Orchid Named?

The Pterostylis stricta was first officially described in 1972. Two scientists, Stephen Clemesha and Bruce Gray, wrote about it. Their description was published in a journal called The Orchadian. They studied a plant found near Ravenshoe.

The second part of its scientific name, stricta, comes from a Latin word. It means "draw together," "hold in check," or "bind."

Where Does the Northern Greenhood Live?

The northern greenhood grows in forests in Queensland, Australia. It likes to grow among grasses and in sheltered valleys. You can find it between Mount Finnigan and Paluma. These areas are usually high up, between 800 and 1250 meters (2,600 and 4,100 ft) above sea level.