Ruddy hood | |
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Scientific classification
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Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Order: | Asparagales |
Family: | Orchidaceae |
Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
Tribe: | Cranichideae |
Genus: | Pterostylis |
Species: | P. perculta
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Binomial name | |
Pterostylis perculta | |
Synonyms [2] | |
Oligochaetochilus percultus M.A.Clem. & C.J.French |
Pterostylis perculta, commonly known as the ruddy hood is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. Both flowering and non-flowering plants have a relatively large rosette of leaves and flowering plants have up to five reddish-brown and white flowers with relatively short tips on the sepals.
Pterostylis perculta is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a rosette of leaves, the rosette up to 30 mm (1 in) in diameter. Flowering plants have a rosette at the base of the flowering stem but the leaves are usually withered by flowering time. Up to five reddish-brown and white flowers 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) wide are borne on a flowering stem 70–150 mm (3–6 in) tall. The dorsal sepal and petals form a hood or "galea" over the column with the dorsal sepal having a short point on its end. The lateral sepals turn downward with short tips curving forwards. The labellum is small, almost glabrous, dark brown and insect-like. Flowering occurs from September to November. [3]
This orchid was first formally described in 2014 by Mark Clements and Christopher French and given the name Oligochaetochilus percultus from a specimen collected near Cascade and the description was published in Australian Orchid Review. [4] In 2015 David Jones changed the name to Pterostylis perculta "to allow for the different taxonomic views". [1] It has previously been known as Pterostylis sp. 'Ongerup'. The specific epithet (perculta) a Latin word meaning "highly adorned". [5]
The ruddy hood grows in rocky soil in shrubland and mallee woodland between the Stirling Range and the Thomas River. [3] [6]
Pterostylis perculta is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife. [6]