Pterostylis aquilonia

Species of orchid

Northern cobra greenhood

Scientific classification
Kingdom:  | Plantae
Clade:  | Tracheophytes
Clade:  | Angiosperms
Clade:  | Monocots
Order:  | Asparagales
Family:  | Orchidaceae
Subfamily:  | Orchidoideae
Tribe:  | Cranichideae
Genus:  | Pterostylis
Species:  |

P. aquilonia

Binomial name
Pterostylis aquilonia

D.L.Jones & B.Gray[1]

Synonyms[2]

Diplodium aquilonium (D.L.Jones & B.Gray) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem.

Pterostylis aquilonia, commonly known as the northern cobra greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to Queensland. 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 lack a rosette and have a single flower with leaves on the flowering spike. This greenhood has a relatively large green, white and reddish-brown self-pollinating flower.

## Contents

* 1 Description
* 2 Taxonomy and naming
* 3 Distribution and habitat
* 4 References

## Description[edit]

Pterostylis aquilonia is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and when not flowering, a rosette of light green leaves 5–15 mm (0.2–0.6 in) long and 5–12 mm (0.2–0.5 in) wide. Flowering plants have a single flower 20–25 mm (0.8–1 in) long and 10–12 mm (0.4–0.5 in) wide borne on a spike 150–200 mm (6–8 in) high. The flowers are white, green, and reddish-brown. The dorsal sepal and petals are fused, forming a hood or "galea" over the column. The dorsal sepal curves forward and ends with a short point. The lateral sepals are erect with thread-like ends 22–25 mm (0.9–1 in) long with their tips bent forwards. The lateral sepals are held closely against the galea, and there is a broad, flat, platform-like sinus between their bases. The labellum is 11–13 mm (0.4–0.5 in) long, about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide and brown while slightly protruding above the sinus. Flowering occurs from May to June.[3]

## Taxonomy and naming[edit]

Pterostylis aquilonia was first formally described in 1997 by David Jones and Bruce Gray. The description was published in The Orchadian from a specimen collected near Herberton.[1] The specific epithet (aquilonia) is a Latin word meaning "north" or "northern".[4]

## Distribution and habitat[edit]

The northern cobra greenhood grows in forest on the higher parts of the Atherton Tableland.[3]

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b "Pterostylis aquilonia". APNI. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
2. ^ "Pterostylis aquilonia". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
3. ^ a b Jones, David L. (2006). A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. p. 290\. ISBN 978-1877069123.
4. ^ Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 560.

Taxon identifiers|

* Wikidata: Q15491359
* Wikispecies: Pterostylis aquilonia
* APNI: 178870
* EoL: 247752
* GBIF: 2847460
* IPNI: 70029379-1
* Plant List: kew-259892
* POWO: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:70029379-1
* Species+: 75418
* Tropicos: 100248972
* WCSP: 259892
* WFO: wfo-0000503274

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