Thin mountain greenhood facts for kids

The thin mountain greenhood (scientific name: Pterostylis subtilis) is a special type of orchid flower. It only grows in New South Wales, Australia. This plant has a group of leaves that lie flat on the ground, like a circle. When it blooms, it grows a single, beautiful white flower with dark green lines. The flower has a unique shape with a curved part called a labellum that sticks out.

What Does It Look Like?

The thin mountain greenhood is a plant that lives on land. It's a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It's also deciduous, so its leaves fall off at certain times. This plant is a herb and has an underground tuber, which is like a small storage root.

Leaves and Flowers

The plant has a rosette of thick leaves that lie flat on the ground. Each leaf is about 30 to 50 millimeters (1.2 to 2.0 inches) long. They are also about 15 to 25 millimeters (0.59 to 0.98 inches) wide.

When the plant flowers, it grows a single white bloom with dark green lines. This flower is quite large, about 35 to 45 millimeters (1.4 to 1.8 inches) long. It is also about 15 to 20 millimeters (0.59 to 0.79 inches) wide. The flower grows on a tall stem, which can be 120 to 250 millimeters (4.7 to 9.8 inches) high.

Flower Parts

The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, and the petals are joined together. They form a hood, which is known as a "galea," over the column (the central part of the flower). The dorsal sepal is a little longer than the petals and has a sharp point. There are small gaps on each side of the flower between the petals and the side sepals.

The side sepals stand upright and have a pointed tip. They are about 15 to 20 millimeters (0.59 to 0.79 inches) long. There is a deep, narrow space, called a sinus, between them. The labellum is a special lip-like part of the flower. It is about 16 to 20 millimeters (0.63 to 0.79 inches) long and about 3 millimeters (0.12 inches) wide. The labellum is blunt and curved, sticking out above the sinus.

When It Blooms

You can see the thin mountain greenhood flowering in December and January.

Naming the Plant

How It Got Its Name

The thin mountain greenhood was first officially described in 2006. A botanist named David Jones gave it its scientific name, Pterostylis subtilis. He published his description in a scientific book called Australian Orchid Research. The plant he studied was found in the Barrington Tops National Park.

The second part of its scientific name, subtilis, is a Latin word. It means "thin," "fine," "slender," or "acute." This name likely refers to some delicate feature of the plant.

Where It Lives

Habitat and Location

The thin mountain greenhood grows among grasses. It prefers sheltered forest slopes. You can find this special orchid in the Barrington Tops National Park in New South Wales.