Pterostylis reflexa var. praecox (Lindl.) Ewart & Jean White
Pterostylis alata, commonly known as striped greenhood,[2] is a species of orchidendemic to Tasmania. 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 white flower with prominent dark green stripes and a sharply pointed, brown-tipped dorsalsepal. Similar greenhoods growing on the Australian mainland were formerly known as Pterostylis alata but are now given the name Pterostylis striata.
Description
Pterostylis alata is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and when not flowering, a rosette of dark green, wrinkled leaves, 4–20 mm (0.2–0.8 in) long and 3–12 mm (0.1–0.5 in) wide. Flowering plants have a single flower 17–21 mm (0.7–0.8 in) long and 6–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide borne on a spike 80–250 mm (3–10 in) high. The flowers are white with dark green stripes. The dorsal sepal and petals are fused, forming a hood or "galea" over the column. The dorsal sepal curves forward with a narrow point 2–5 mm (0.08–0.2 in) long and is brownish near the tip. The lateral sepals are held closely against the galea, have erect, thread-like tips 23–27 mm (0.9–1 in) long and a broad V-shaped sinus between their bases. The labellum is 10–12 mm (0.4–0.5 in) long, about 3 mm (0.1 in) wide, brown and curved and protrudes above the sinus. Flowering occurs from May to August but mainly in June and July.[2][3]
Pterostylis alata grows in open forest and coastal scrub in Tasmania.[2][8]Pterostylis alata does not grow on the mainland of Australia and plants formerly placed in this species are now recognised as Pterostylis striata.[9][10]
^ abcJones, David L. (2006). A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. p. 290. ISBN978-1877069123.