Prasophyllum odoratissimum

Prasophyllum odoratissimum, commonly known as the scented leek orchid or fragrant leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Western Australia. It has a single smooth, tubular leaf and up to thirty or more scented, greenish, white and fawn-coloured flowers with a labellum which is often bent backwards. It was formerly included in Prasophyllum odoratum.

Scented leek orchid
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Subtribe: Prasophyllinae
Genus: Prasophyllum
Species:
P. odoratissimum
Binomial name
Prasophyllum odoratissimum

Description

Prasophyllum odoratissimum is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single smooth, tube-shaped leaf which is 200–500 mm (8–20 in) long and 4–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide. Between ten and thirty or more greenish, white and fawn-coloured flowers which are about 12 mm (0.5 in) long and 10 mm (0.4 in) wide are arranged along a flowering spike which reaches to a height of 150–400 mm (6–20 in). As with other leek orchids, the flowers are inverted so that the labellum is above the column rather than below it. The dorsal is held close to horizontally, the petals face forwards and the lateral sepals are erect and widely separated from each other. The labellum turns sharply upwards and often backwards near its middle. The edges of the upturned part of the labellum are wavy and there is a greenish callus in its centre. Flowering occurs from September to November.[2][3]

Taxonomy and naming

Prasophyllum odoratissimum was first formally described in 1996 by David Jones from a specimen collected near Fish Creek in Walpole and the description was published in The Orchadian.[1] It was formerly described as a variety of P. odoratum. The specific epithet (odoratissimum) is the superlative form[4]:834 of the Latin word odoratus meaning "fragrant"[4]:720 referring to the scented flowers of this species.[3]

Distribution and habitat

The scented leek orchid grows in deep sandy soil and near-coastal woodland between Augusta and Augusta in the Esperance Plains, Mallee, Swan Coastal Plain and Warren biogeographic regions.[2][3][5]

Conservation

Prasophyllum odoratissimum is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.[5]

References
  1. "Prasophyllum odoratissimum". APNI. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  2. Hoffman, Noel; Brown, Andrew (2011). Orchids of South-West Australia (3rd ed.). Gooseberry Hill: Noel Hoffman. p. 368. ISBN 9780646562322.
  3. Brown, Andrew; Dundas, Pat; Dixon, Kingsley; Hopper, Stephen (2008). Orchids of Western Australia. Crawley, Western Australia: University of Western Australia Press. p. 335. ISBN 9780980296457.
  4. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
  5. "Prasophyllum odoratissimum''". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.