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Pterostylis hians D.L.Jones
Family Orchidaceae
Common name: Opera House Greenhood

Pterostylis hians D.L.Jones APNI*

Synonyms: Diplodium hians (D.L.Jones) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. APNI*

Description: Terrestrial herb

Sterile and fertile plants dimorphic. Rosette leaves borne by sterile plants only, leaves 3 or 4, reniform to orbicular, 8–12 mm long by 9–13 mm wide, dark green, entire, apex obtuse to apiculate; petiole 3–6 mm long, narrowly winged.

Flowering plants 8–14 cm tall. Scape slender, smooth. Cauline leaves 4 or 5, ovate-lanceolate, 10–15 mm long, 5.0–6.5 mm wide, basal reduced and closely sheathing, the remainder spreading from a sheathing base, apex acuminate. Ovary narrowly obovoid, 6–9 mm long, smooth. Flower solitary, 13–16 mm long, translucent white, striped and suffused with green, greenish-brown towards the apex of the galea, galea gibbous at the base then erect before curving forwards, the apex of the galea obliquiely erect. Dorsal sepal 18–23 mm long by 9–11 mm wide, inflated at the base, constricted near the middle, slightly enlarged near the apex, before tapering suddenly to a long-acuminate point 2–4 mm long; translucent white with green stripes and suffusions, greenish brown towards the apex. Lateral sepals erect, tightly embracing the galea; sinus protruding as a knee when viewed from the side, sinus with a scabrid central notch, the upper margins prominently inrolled; conjoined part 7–9 mm long by 9–11 mm wide, narrowed to c. 3 mm across at the base, mostly green with darker green lines and a few white areas, the upper margins involute, suddenly tapered into the free points; free points 9–12 mm long, linear-clavate, involute, erect, often incurved, held high above the galea, apex slightly thickened, slightly irregular. Petals obliquely oblong, 14–18 mm long by 5.0–6.5 mm wide, straight or slightly falcate, subacute to apiculate, central part white, anterior part green, dorsal part green to brownish green; flange c. 0.2 mm across, flat, obtuse. Labellum hinged on a basal ligulate claw c. 0.7 mm long and 0.6 mm wide, erect, the apex just visible above the sinus in the se position; lamina broadly elliptic, 5.0–5.5 mm long and 3.0–3.3 mm wide, green with brown margins and a brown apex, broadly obtuse; basal appendage c. 2 mm long, linear, recurved a right angles just above the middle, the apex shortly penicillate.


Habitat
Photo Richard Dimon

Habit
Photo Richard Dimon

Flower
Photo Richard Dimon

Flowering: March–May

Distribution and occurrence: South-eastern New South Wales, in the vicinity of Manyana.

In shady situations under Baeckea virgata and Leptospermum in open forest having a well-developed bushy shrub layer, at around 30 m elevation.
NSW subdivisions: SC
AVH map***

Pterostylis hians is distinctive in its orbicular to reniform rosette leaves when sterile; and the wide gape beneath the upswept galea; broadly elliptic labellum, and broad, flared petals when flowering. The common name is apt, and communicates well the distinctive aspect of the flowers.

Text by Matt A.M. Renner (12 Dec 2019) based on Jones (1997)
Taxon concept: Jones DL (1997) Two rare species of Pterostylis R.Br (Orchidaceae) allied to P. alveata Garnet. The Orchadian 12(4): 180–187.


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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