Rainforest greenhood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rainforest greenhood |
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| In Bongil Bongil National Park | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pterostylis
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| Species: |
hildae
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The Rainforest Greenhood (Pterostylis hildae) is a special type of orchid found in eastern Australia. It gets its name from its green, white, and brown flowers. This plant often grows in wet forests, including rainforests, in New South Wales and Queensland. When it blooms, it has a single flower on a tall stem. It also has a group of leaves that grow in a circular shape, called a rosette.
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Discovering the Rainforest Greenhood
The Rainforest Greenhood is a plant that lives for many years. It is a perennial herb, meaning it grows back each year. This orchid has an underground tuber, which is like a storage root. It also has a rosette of two to four oval-shaped leaves. Each leaf is about 20–80 mm (0.8–3 in) long and 8–25 mm (0.3–1 in) wide. These leaves have a clear stalk, called a petiole, and sometimes their edges are wavy.
When the plant flowers, it produces a single bloom. This flower is green, white, and brown. It measures about 23–27 mm (0.9–1 in) long and 10–12 mm (0.4–0.5 in) wide. The flower grows on a stem that can be 80–200 mm (3–8 in) tall.
Flower Parts
The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, and the petals join together. They form a hood over the column, which is the central part of the flower. This hood is often called a "galea." The tips of the petals and dorsal sepal have a short point. There is a wide space on each side of the flower between the petals and the side sepals.
The side sepals stand upright and have a pointed tip. These tips are about 10–12 mm (0.4–0.5 in) long and are not taller than the galea. There is a curved dip, or sinus, with a deep notch between them. The lip of the flower, called the labellum, is about 11–13 mm (0.4–0.5 in) long and 4 mm (0.2 in) wide. It is curved and sticks out through the sinus. You can see these orchids flowering from March to October.
Naming the Rainforest Greenhood
The Rainforest Greenhood was first described in 1937. A scientist named William Nicholls wrote about it. His description was published in a science magazine called The Victorian Naturalist. He studied a plant sample collected from Tamborine Mountain.
The second part of the plant's scientific name, hildae, was chosen to honor Hilda Geissmann. She was a person who helped a lot with nature studies in Queensland.
Where the Rainforest Greenhood Lives
The Rainforest Greenhood is quite common and can be found in many places. It grows in wet forests and rainforests. You can find it from the Atherton Tableland in Queensland all the way down to Wollongong in New South Wales.
