Prasophyllum rogersii, commonly known as the Barrington Tops leek orchid is a species of orchid endemic to New South Wales. It has a single tubular leaf and up to twenty five reddish-brown flowers and only occurs in a few locations at higher altitudes.
Barrington Tops leek orchid | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Order: | Asparagales |
Family: | Orchidaceae |
Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
Tribe: | Diurideae |
Subtribe: | Prasophyllinae |
Genus: | Prasophyllum |
Species: | P. odoratum |
Binomial name | |
Prasophyllum odoratum Rupp[1] | |
Prasophyllum rogersii is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single tube-shaped leaf 150–300 mm (6–10 in) long and 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) wide. Between five and twenty five flowers are crowded along a flowering spike 70–120 mm (3–5 in) long, reaching to a height of 200–300 mm (8–10 in). The flowers are reddish-brown or orange-brown. As with others in the genus, the flowers are inverted so that the labellum is above the column rather than below it. The dorsal sepal is egg-shaped to lance-shaped, 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long and about 3 mm (0.1 in). The lateral sepals are linear to lance-shaped, about 7 mm (0.3 in) long, free from and parallel to each other. The petals are about 5 mm (0.2 in) long and curve forwards. The labellum is white, egg-shaped, 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long, about 5 mm (0.2 in) wide and turns sharply upwards with crinkled edges. There is a raised, shiny callus in the centre of the labellum and extending almost to its tip. Flowering occurs in December and January.[2][3]
This orchid has been confused with P. niphopedium in Victoria[4] and with P. perangustum in Tasmania.[5] It is closely related to P. frenchii.[6]
Prasophyllum rogersii was first formally described in 1928 by Herman Rupp and the description was published in Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales.[1][7] The specific epithet (rogersii) honours Richard Sanders Rogers whom Rupp described as "our recognized leader in the field of Australian orchidology".[7]
The Barrington Tops leek orchid grows in moist, grassy places in montane to subalpine habitats in the Barrington Tops National Park.[4][3]
Taxon identifiers |
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