Subalpine leek orchid (Prasophyllum sphacelatum)
Description
Prasophyllum sphacelatum, commonly known as the subalpine leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has a single tubular, dull green leaf and up to eighteen scented, green to brownish flowers with a green to pinkish labellum. It grows in subalpine areas of New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. Prasophyllum sphacelatum is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single dull green, tube-shaped leaf, 280–380 mm (11–15 in) long and 2–4 mm (0.08–0.2 in) wide with a white to reddish base. The free part of the leaf is 80–140 mm (3–6 in) long. Between six and eighteen flowers are arranged along a flowering spike about 80–140 mm (3–6 in) long. The flowers are green to reddish-brown, 14–18 mm (0.6–0.7 in) long and strongly scented. 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 egg-shaped to lance-shaped, 6–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide. The lateral sepals are 7–8 mm (0.28–0.31 in) long, about 1.5 mm (0.06 in) wide and the petals are linear, to narrow lance-shaped, about 7 mm (0.3 in) long and 1 mm (0.04 in) wide. The labellum is green to pinkish, egg-shaped to lance-shaped, 6–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long, about 3 mm (0.1 in) wide and turns sharply upwards with wavy edges. Flowering occurs from December to February.
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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