Pterostylis baptistii, commonly known as the king greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to eastern Australia. Flowering plants have a rosette of stalked, dark green leaves and a single white flower with green and brown markings, and a wide gap between the petals and lateral sepals. It occurs mostly in New South Wales but is also found in coastal Queensland and north-eastern Victoria.
| King greenhood | |
|---|---|
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| Pterostylis baptistii in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
| Tribe: | Cranichideae |
| Genus: | Pterostylis |
| Species: | P. baptistii
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| Binomial name | |
| Pterostylis baptistii | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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Description edit
Pterostylis baptistii is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber. Flowering plants have a rosette of between four and eight stalked, dark green leaves, each leaf 30–80 mm long and 20–25 mm wide. A single flower 40–60 mm long and 20–30 mm wide is borne on a spike 200–400 mm high. The flowers are white with green and brown markings. The dorsal sepal and petals are fused, forming a hood or "galea" over the column. The dorsal sepal curves forward with a sharp tip and is the same length as the petals. There is a wide gap between the petals and the lateral sepals which have swept-back, thread-like tips 25–35 mm long. The sinus between the lateral sepals is almost flat with a central notch and bulges forward. The labellum is 18–22 mm long, 5–6 mm wide, reddish brown and protrudes above the sinus. Flowering mainly occurs from July to November.[2][3][4]
Taxonomy and naming edit
Pterostylis baptistii was first formally described in 1875 by Robert FitzGerald from a specimen collected near Hen and Chicken Bay in Sydney. The description was published in Fitzgerald's book Australian Orchids.[1] The specific epithet (baptistii) refers to Baptist Gardens, a nursery in Surry Hills who sent the type specimen to Fitzgerald.[1][5]
Distribution and habitat edit
The king greenhood grows mainly in coastal areas from southern Queensland through New South Wales to north-eastern Victoria and grows in moist to wet soils on sheltered slopes in forest and near swamps.[2][3][4]
Conservation edit
Pterostylis baptistii is classified as "vulnerable" under the Victorian Government Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988.[4]
References edit
- ^ a b c d "Pterostylis baptistii". APNI. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
- ^ a b Jones, David L. (2006). A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. p. 303. ISBN 978-1877069123.
- ^ a b Jones, David L. "Pterostylis baptistii". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney: plantnet. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
- ^ a b c Jeanes, Jeff. "Pterostylis baptistii". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria: vicflora. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
- ^ "Allotment of blocks between Bourke Street, Baptist's Garden, Thomas Street, Henry Street and Baptist Street". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
External links edit
Media related to Pterostylis baptistii at Wikimedia Commons