Pterostylis paludosa

Pterostylis paludosa, known as the swamp greenhood, is an orchid endemic to New Zealand. It exhibits different growth forms depending on whether it is in flower. Non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves on a short stalk, while flowering plants lack this rosette and instead display a single flower on a tall stem with leaves along the spike. The flower is translucent white with pale to yellowish-green stripes. This terrestrial orchid has an underground tuber and is deciduous. When not in bloom, it features two to four linear to lance-shaped leaves that are pale to yellowish-green, measuring 25–60 mm long and 7–11 mm wide. In flower, the plant can grow a stem of 80–900 mm tall, bearing a single flower approximately 18–20 mm long and 5–6 mm wide. The flowering stem is adorned with three or four linear to lance-shaped, grass-like leaves, each 24–26 mm long and 7–11 mm wide. The flower's dorsal sepal and petals fuse to form a hooded structure called a galea, which inflates near the base before tapering to a pointed tip. The lateral sepals are erect and in close contact with the galea, ending in narrow tips slightly shorter than the galea. A slight bulge in the sinus between the lateral sepals features a small V-shaped notch at its center. The dark green labellum is erect near its base, curving sharply to protrude above the sinus. Flowering occurs from September to January. Pterostylis paludosa was first described in 1997 by David Jones, Brian Molloy, and ...