Tall rustyhood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tall rustyhood |
|
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pterostylis
|
| Species: |
excelsa
|
| Synonyms | |
|
|
The Pterostylis excelsa, also known as the tall rustyhood or dry land green-hood, is a type of flowering plant. It belongs to the orchid family, called Orchidaceae. This special orchid is found only in South Australia.
It grows a group of leaves called a rosette at its base. When it flowers, it can have up to twenty green or brown flowers. These flowers lean forward and have a thick, somewhat hairy, insect-like part called a labellum.
Contents
What Does the Tall Rustyhood Look Like?
The Pterostylis excelsa is a plant that grows from an underground tuber. It is a perennial herb, meaning it lives for more than two years. It is also deciduous, so its leaves might die back in some seasons.
Leaves and Stems
This orchid has a rosette of five to twenty leaves. Each leaf is about 40–80 mm (2–3 in) long and 12–18 mm (0.5–0.7 in) wide. When the plant flowers, the leaves at the base often dry up.
The flowers grow on a tall stem called a flowering spike. This spike can be 300–900 mm (10–40 in) tall. There are also three to eight smaller leaves wrapped around this flowering spike.
Flowers of the Tall Rustyhood
The tall rustyhood produces between two and twenty flowers. They can be green, brown, or a mix of both. The flowers have clear parts that let light through. Each flower is about 30–35 mm (1.2–1.4 in) long and 6–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide.
The top part of the flower, called the dorsal sepal, and the petals form a hood. This hood covers the central part of the flower. The dorsal sepal has a narrow tip that is 8–12 mm (0.3–0.5 in) long.
The side sepals point downwards. They are about as wide as the hood and end in narrow tips. These tips are 20–25 mm (0.8–1 in) long.
The Labellum: An Insect-like Part
The labellum is a very important part of the flower. It is thick and fleshy, looking a bit like an insect. It is about 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long and 2 mm (0.08 in) wide.
The "head" end of the labellum has short hairs. The sides of the "body" part have longer hairs. This orchid usually flowers from August to December.
Where Does the Tall Rustyhood Grow?
The tall rustyhood orchid is found in many places in the south-east of South Australia. It can sometimes grow in large groups.
This orchid prefers to grow in scrubland and mallee areas. Mallee is a type of bushland with many small, multi-stemmed trees. Sometimes, it even grows on rocky areas. These places usually get about 200–500 mm (8–20 in) of rain each year.
How Was This Orchid Named?
The Pterostylis excelsa was first officially described in 1986. A scientist named Mark Clements gave it its formal description. He studied a plant that grew in the Australian National Botanic Gardens. This plant came from a tuber found on the Eyre Peninsula.
The description was published in a book called Flora of South Australia. The second part of its name, excelsa, comes from a Latin word. It means "high," "lofty," or "distinguished."
Other Names for This Orchid
In 1941, another scientist, William Nicholls, described a plant he called Pterostylis squamata var. valida. Later, in 1994, David Jones changed its status to a full species, calling it Pterostylis valida. However, scientists now consider Pterostylis valida to be the same plant as Pterostylis excelsa.
