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Dark banded greenhood (Pterostylis vittata)

Description

Pterostylis vittata, is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber. Non-flowering plants have a rosette of between three and seven leaves, each leaf 10–30 mm (0.4–1 in) long and 5–18 mm (0.2–0.7 in) wide, the rosette on a stalk 20–60 mm (0.8–2 in) long. When flowering, there are up to twenty five transparent green flowers with darker green bands borne on a flowering spike 200–450 mm (8–20 in) high. The flowering spike has between three and fourteen stem leaves which are 20–50 mm (0.8–2 in) long and 4–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide. The flowers are 12–15 mm (0.5–0.6 in) long, 8–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) wide. The dorsal sepal and petals form a hood or "galea" over the column. The lateral sepals turn downwards, are 9–10 mm (0.35–0.39 in) long, 8–9 mm (0.3–0.4 in) wide and joined at their bases. The labellum is green, hairy and insect-like, about 4 mm (0.2 in) long and 3 mm (0.1 in) wide and flicks upwards when touched. Flowering occurs from May to September.

Taxonomic tree

  • Domain: Eukarya

    • Kingdom: Plantae

      • Phylum:

        • Class: Liliopsida

          • Order: Asparagales

            • Family: Orchidaceae

              • Genus: Pterostylis