Common name: Lowly Greenhood
Pterostylis despectans (Nicholls) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. APNI* Synonyms: Oligochaetochilus despectans (Nicholls) Szlach. APNI*
Description: Terrestrial herb.
Rosette leaves 5–9, elliptic to obovate, 1.0–1.8 cm long by 6–9 mm wide, margins scabrid.
Flowering plants 5–8 cm tall, stem leaves 3 or 4, closely sheathing. Flowers 1–6, 1.0–1.5 cm long, spreading to deflexed, on slender pedicles to 1.5 cm long, transparent with grey to green markings and suffusions; dorsal sepal with an upcurved filiform point 6–10 mm long, lateral sepals deflexed, conjoined part narroly ovate to elliptic in outline when flattened, concave, margins slightly incurved, ciliate, free points filimentous, 1.8–2.5 cm long, curved forwards, more or less parallel, often touching thr ground, c. 4 mm apart at the tips; petals with a poorly developed proximal flange. Labellum oblong-elliptic, c. 4 mm long and 2 mm wide, dark brown, thin-textured; marginal hairs 6–8 pairs, c. 0.3 mm long, white; basal lobe erect, with 2 prominent erect hairs c. 2 mm long.
Flowering: October–November
Distribution and occurrence: Southern New South Wales in the vicinity of Moama, and Victoria. Open sclerophyll woodland.
NSW subdivisions: SWP
Threatened species: NSW BCA: Critically Endangered; Commonwealth EPBC: Endangered
Pterostylis despectans can be recognised by its short stature and long-tailed sepals that nearly, or do, touch the ground.
Text by Matt A.M. Renner (9 Dec 2019)
Taxon concept: Entwisle TJ (1994) Orchidaceae. In Walsh NG, Entwisle TJ (eds) Flora of Victoria Volume 2. Fern and allied plants, conifers and monocotyledons. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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