Pterostylis clavigera

Pterostylis clavigera, commonly known as the hairy snail orchid is a species of orchid which is endemic to New South Wales. It has a rosette of leaves at its base, and when flowering, a single narrow, bright green and white flower on a rough flowering stem.

Hairy snail orchid
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Cranichideae
Genus: Pterostylis
Species:
P. clavigera
Binomial name
Pterostylis clavigera
Synonyms[2]

Linguella clavigera (Fitzg.) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem.

Description

Pterostylis clavigera is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a rosette of dull green leaves 7–17 mm (0.3–0.7 in) long and 5–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) wide with wavy edges. A single bright green and white flower, 11–17 mm (0.4–0.7 in) long and 4–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide is borne on a flowering stem 50–150 mm (2–6 in) high and covered with short hairs. The dorsal sepal and petals are fused, forming a hood or "galea" over the column, the sepal and petals with a short, nearly horizontal point on the end. The lateral sepals are erect, in close contact with the galea and have thread-like tips 10–15 mm (0.4–0.6 in) long. The lateral sepals almost close off the front of the flower and the sinus between them has a dark green central area. The labellum is 3–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long, 1–2 mm (0.04–0.08 in) wide and hidden inside the flower. Flowering occurs from June to September.[3]

Taxonomy and naming

Pterostylis clavigera was first formally described in 1885 by Robert D. FitzGerald and the description was published in Journal of Botany, British and Foreign.[1] The specific epithet (clavigera) is a Latin word meaning "club-bearing".[4]

Distribution and habitat

The hairy snail orchid grows in shrubland, woodland and rocky slopes between Mudgee and Dubbo and in nearby areas.[3]

References
  1. "Pterostylis clavigera". APNI. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
  2. "Pterostylis clavigera". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  3. Jones, David L. (2006). A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. p. 298. ISBN 978-1877069123.
  4. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 213.
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