Prasophyllum patens

Prasophyllum patens, commonly known as the broad-lipped leek orchid[2] or sandstone leek orchid,[3] is a species of orchid endemic to the Sydney region of New South Wales. It has a single tubular green leaf and up to thirty green to greenish-brown, lemon-scented flowers with a white labellum.

Broad-lipped leek orchid
Prasophyllum patens growing near Jervis Bay
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Subtribe: Prasophyllinae
Genus: Prasophyllum
Species:
P. patens
Binomial name
Prasophyllum patens

Description

Prasophyllum patens is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single tube-shaped leaf 250–500 mm (10–20 in) long and 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) wide. Between ten and thirty lemon-scented flowers are arranged along 60–100 mm (2–4 in) of a flowering stem 300–600 mm (10–20 in) tall. The flowers are green to greenish-brown, 8–11 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long, 7–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) wide and as with others in the genus, are inverted so that the labellum is above the column rather than below it. The dorsal sepal is egg-shaped, 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long, about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide and the lateral sepals are linear to lance-shaped, 5–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long, 1–1.5 mm (0.04–0.06 in) wide and free from each other. The petals are linear to oblong, pointed, about 5–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long, about 1 mm (0.04 in) wide and spread widely apart. The labellum is white, linear to egg-shaped, 6–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long, 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) wide and turns back on itself near its middle. The edges of the labellum are folded and crinkled and there is a pale green callus in its centre but ending just after the bend. Flowering occurs between September and October.[3][2]

Taxonomy and naming

Prasophyllum patens was first formally described in 1810 by Robert Brown and the description was published in Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen.[1][4] The specific epithet (patens) is a Latin word meaning "lying open".[5]

Distribution and habitat

The broad-lipped leek orchid grows in heath and heathy forest mostly in the Sydney region. Some sources include Queensland Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia in the range of this orchid[2][6] while the Herbarium of the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria suggests "the relationship between P. odoratum sens. strict. and P. patens, P. robustum, P. truncatum and P. album is (also) in need of study".[7]

References
  1. "Prasophyllum patens". APNI. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  2. Bernhardt, Peter; Rowe, Ross R. "Prasophyllum patens". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  3. Jones, David L. (2006). A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. pp. 200–201. ISBN 1877069124.
  4. Brown, Robert (1810). Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen. London. p. 318. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  5. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 575.
  6. "Prasophyllum patens". State Herbarium of South Australia. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  7. Jeanes, Jeff. "Prasophyllum odoratum". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
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