Smooth leafy greenhood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Smooth leafy greenhood |
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| In the Gibraltar Range National Park | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pterostylis
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| Species: |
tenuis
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| Synonyms | |
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Bunochilus tenuis D.L.Jones |
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The Pterostylis tenuis, also known as the smooth leafy greenhood, is a special type of orchid. It belongs to the Orchidaceae family. This plant is found only in New South Wales, Australia. This means it is endemic to that area.
When the plant is not flowering, it has a group of leaves shaped like a circle, called a rosette. These leaves grow on a short stem. But when the plant is ready to flower, it grows a tall stem with three to six leaves. This stem can have up to four beautiful, shiny, see-through green flowers.
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Discover the Smooth Leafy Greenhood Orchid
The smooth leafy greenhood is a perennial plant. This means it lives for more than two years. It's also a deciduous plant, so some parts die back each year. It's a herb that grows from a special underground part called a tuber.
What Does This Orchid Look Like?
If the plant is not flowering, it has a rosette of three to seven leaves. Each leaf is about 10 to 35 millimeters (0.4 to 1.4 inches) long. They are also about 3 to 8 millimeters (0.1 to 0.3 inches) wide. These leaves grow on a stalk that is 30 to 60 millimeters (1.2 to 2.4 inches) tall.
When the plant flowers, it grows a tall spike. This spike can be 120 to 300 millimeters (4.7 to 11.8 inches) high. It has three to six leaves on its stem. These stem leaves are 15 to 60 millimeters (0.6 to 2.4 inches) long and 3 to 5 millimeters (0.1 to 0.2 inches) wide.
The flowers themselves are quite unique. They are 16 to 21 millimeters (0.6 to 0.8 inches) long. They are also 7 to 12 millimeters (0.3 to 0.5 inches) wide. The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, and the petals join together. They form a hood shape over the central part of the flower. The tip of this hood can be brown or green.
The lower parts of the flower, called the lateral sepals, point downwards. They are 14 to 18 millimeters (0.6 to 0.7 inches) long. They are also 9 to 12 millimeters (0.3 to 0.5 inches) wide. These two sepals are joined together for more than half their length.
Inside the flower, there's a special part called the labellum. It's about 6 to 8 millimeters (0.2 to 0.3 inches) long. It's also 2 to 3 millimeters (0.08 to 0.12 inches) wide. The labellum is light brown with a darker brown stripe down its middle. You can see these beautiful flowers in September and October.
Naming the Smooth Leafy Greenhood
This orchid got its first scientific name in 2006. A botanist named David Jones described it. He called it Bunochilus tenuis. He published his description in a book called Australian Orchid Research. This was after he found a sample of the plant in the Cadia Valley.
Later, in 2010, another expert named Gary Backhouse changed its name. He renamed it Pterostylis tenuis. The second part of its scientific name, tenuis, comes from a Latin word. It means "thin." This name refers to the narrow labellum of this specific orchid.
Where Does This Orchid Grow?
The Pterostylis tenuis orchid likes to grow on slopes and ridges. You can find it in dry forests. Its habitat stretches between the Torrington and Bathurst areas in New South Wales. It is more commonly found in the southern parts of this region.
