Prasophyllum favonium (Prasophyllum favonium)
Description
Prasophyllum favonium, commonly known as the western leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Tasmania. It has a single tubular leaf with a reddish base and between five and fifteen brownish flowers with a dark purple labellum. In 2000, the entire population was estimated to be less than forty mature plants in a very small area.Prasophyllum favonium is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single tube-shaped leaf which is 120–280 mm (5–10 in) long and 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) wide with a reddish base. The free part of the leaf is 60–130 mm (2–5 in) long. Between five and fifteen flowers are crowded along a thin flowering spike 30–70 mm (1–3 in) long. The flowers are brownish, 11–13 mm (0.4–0.5 in) long and 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) wide with a dark purple labellum. As with others in the genus, the flowers are inverted so that the labellum is above the column rather than below it. The dorsal sepal is lance-shaped to narrow egg-shaped, 5–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and about 3 mm (0.1 in) wide and brownish with darker lines. The lateral sepals are linear to narrow lance-shaped 7–8 mm (0.28–0.31 in) long, about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide, erect and free from each other. The petals are linear to oblong, 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long and about 1.5 mm (0.06 in) wide. The labellum is dark purplish, about 5 mm (0.2 in) long and 3 mm (0.1 in) wide, turns upwards at about 90° near its middle, and has wavy edges. Flowering occurs in October and November
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: Prasophyllum
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