Bearded bird orchid (Pterostylis turfosa)
Description
Pterostylis turfosa is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber. It has between ten and eighteen dark green leaves crowded around the base of the stem and extending upwards, the leaves 10–25 millimetres (0.4–1 in) long and 3–7 millimetres (0.1–0.3 in) wide. Flowering plants have a single translucent green flower with darker green lines, the flower 45–55 millimetres (1.8–2.2 in) long and 6–7 millimetres (0.2–0.3 in) wide arranged on a flowering stem 100–250 millimetres (4–10 in) high. The dorsal sepal and petals are fused to form a hood or "galea" over the column, the dorsal sepal with curved point 25–35 millimetres (0.98–1.4 in) long. The lateral sepals are turned downwards, joined near their bases to form a fleshy pad with tapering tips 40–50 mm (1.6–2.0 in) long and parallel to each other. The labellum is 25–30 millimetres (0.98–1.2 in) long and thread-like, bearded with yellow hairs 3–7 millimetres (0.1–0.3 in) long and ending in a thin, light brown knob. The flowers appear from September to October.
Taxonomic tree
-
Domain: Eukarya
-
-
Kingdom: Plantae
-
-
Phylum:
-
-
Class: Liliopsida
-
-
Order: Asparagales
-
-
Family: Orchidaceae
-
-
Genus: Pterostylis
-
-
-
-
-
-
