Dark-tip greenhood (Pterostylis atrans)
Description
Pterostylis atrans, commonly known as the dark-tip greenhood or blunt-tongue greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to south-eastern Australia. As with similar greenhoods, the flowering plants differ from those which are not flowering. The non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves flat on the ground but the flowering plants have a single flower with leaves on the flowering spike. In this species, the flower is green and reddish brown with a protruding sinus and small club-like tips on the ends of the lateral sepals. Pterostylis atrans is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and when not flowering, a rosette of egg-shaped leaves, each leaf 10-35 mm long and 10-30 mm wide. Flowering plants have a single flower 14-20 mm long and 10-12 mm wide borne on a spike 150-300 mm high with between three and five spreading stem leaves. The flowers are green with a reddish-brown, down curved tip. The dorsal sepal and petals are fused, forming a hood or "galea" over the column and the dorsal sepal has a thread-like tip 6-9 mm long. The lateral sepals are held closely against the galea, have erect, thread-like tips 15-20 mm long with small club-like tips and a protruding, platform-like sinus between their bases. The labellum is 9-11 mm long, about 3 mm wide, green with a blunt brown tip which is just visible above the sinus. Flowering occurs from November to April.
Taxonomic tree
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Domain: Eukarya
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Kingdom: Plantae
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Phylum:
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Class: Liliopsida
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Order: Asparagales
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Family: Orchidaceae
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Genus: Pterostylis
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