Pterostylis tanypoda facts for kids
The swan greenhood (scientific name: Pterostylis tanypoda) is a special type of orchid that only grows in New Zealand. It's called a "greenhood" because its flowers have a unique hood-like shape. Both young plants and flowering plants have a group of leaves that lie flat on the ground. When it flowers, it can have up to seven small, bluish-green and white striped flowers.
Quick facts for kids Swan greenhood |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pterostylis
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| Species: |
tanypoda
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| Synonyms | |
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Hymenochilus tanypodus (D.L.Jones, Molloy & M.A.Clem.) D.L.Jones, M.A.Clem. & Molloy |
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Contents
What the Swan Greenhood Looks Like
The swan greenhood is a plant that grows from an underground tuber (like a small potato). It's a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It's also deciduous, so its leaves die back in some seasons, but the plant lives on underground.
Leaves and Stems
Plants that are not flowering have a group of bluish-green, egg-shaped leaves. These leaves are about 5 to 15 millimeters (0.2 to 0.6 inches) long. They are also about 5 to 12 millimeters (0.2 to 0.5 inches) wide.
When the plant flowers, it grows a fleshy stem that is about 20 to 100 millimeters (0.8 to 3.9 inches) tall. This stem holds up to seven flowers. It also has many smaller leaves that look like the ones at the base.
Flowers
The flowers are bluish-green with white stripes. They are crowded together on the stem. The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, and the petals are joined together. They form a hood, or "galea," over the central part of the flower called the column. This hood is about 5 to 10 millimeters (0.2 to 0.4 inches) long and wide. The dorsal sepal is a little longer than the petals.
The two lower parts of the flower, called the lateral sepals, point downwards and are joined. The labellum (which is like the orchid's "lip") is short, wide, and blunt. It has a dark green lobe (a rounded part) at its upper end. Swan greenhoods usually flower from October to January.
How it was Named
Taxonomy
The swan greenhood was first officially described in 1997. Three botanists, David Jones, Brian Molloy, and Mark Clements, described it. They found a sample of the plant near Castle Hill, New Zealand. Their description was published in a magazine called The Orchadian.
Naming
The scientific name for the swan greenhood is Pterostylis tanypoda. The second part of the name, tanypoda, comes from two Ancient Greek words. "Tany-" means "long," and "pous" means "foot."
Where the Swan Greenhood Lives
This greenhood plant grows in mountain and subalpine grasslands. You can find it on the eastern side of South Island in New Zealand. It grows in areas between Marlborough and Southland.
