Pterostylis dolichochila

Pterostylis dolichochila, commonly known as the long-tongued shell orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to southern Australia. As with similar orchids, the flowering plants differ from those which are not flowering. The non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves but the flowering plants have a single flower with leaves on the flowering spike. This greenhood has a green and white flower with reddish-brown stripes and a sharply pointed dorsal sepal.

Long-tongued shell orchid
Pterostylis dolichochila growing in the Monarto Conservation Park
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Cranichideae
Genus: Pterostylis
Species:
P. dolichochila
Binomial name
Pterostylis dolichochila
Synonyms[1]

Diplodium dolichochila (D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem.) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem.

Description

Pterostylis dolichochila is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and when not flowering, a rosette of four to ten egg-shaped leaves. Each leaf is 4–12 mm long and 3–8 mm wide. Flowering plants have a single flower 20–25 mm long and 7–9 mm wide borne on a spike 50–150 mm high with three or four stem leaves wrapped around it. The flowers are green and white with reddish-brown stripes. The dorsal sepal and petals are fused, forming a hood or "galea" over the column. The dorsal sepal curves forward with sharp point or a thread-like tip 1–2 mm long. The lateral sepals are held closely against the galea, have an erect, thread-like tip 15–20 mm long and a broad, flat sinus between their bases. The labellum is 13–15 mm long, about 4 mm wide, brown, blunt, and curved and protrudes above the sinus. Flowering occurs from April to August.[2][3][4]

Taxonomy and naming

Pterostylis dolichochila was first formally described in 1985 by David Jones and Mark Clements and the description was published in the fourth edition of Flora of South Australia.[1] The specific epithet (dolichochila) is derived from the Ancient Greek words dolichos meaning "long"[5]:276 and cheilos meaning "lip".[5]:486

Distribution and habitat

The long-tongued shell orchid grows on calcareous sand and limestone, sometimes forming large colonies, in mallee in the south-east of South Australia and the Little Desert and Big Desert areas of Victoria.[2][3][4]

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References
  1. "Pterostylis dolichochila". APNI. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  2. Jones, David L. (2006). A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. p. 291. ISBN 978-1877069123.
  3. Jeanes, Jeff. "Pterostylis dolichochila". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria: vicflora. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
  4. "Pterostylis dolichochila". State Herbarium of South Australia: eflora SA. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
  5. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
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