Prasophyllum beatrix explained

Prasophyllum beatrix, commonly known as Marung leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to eastern Australia. It has a single tubular leaf and up to thirty five scented flowers with yellowish-green or purplish markings and is mainly confined to New South Wales.

Description

Prasophyllum beatrix is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single tube-shaped, dark green leaf up to 600sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide at the base, with the free part up to 250sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long. Between eight and thirty five scented white flowers with yellowish-green or purplish markings are crowded along a robust flowering spike NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long. 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 lance-shaped to narrow egg-shaped, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long. The lateral sepals are a similar size to the dorsal sepal and are usually free each other. The petals are linear to lance-shaped and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long. The labellum is white, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long, turns upwards at more than 90° and has crinkled edges. Flowering occurs from September to October.[1]

Taxonomy and naming

Prasophyllum beatrix was first formally described in 2006 by David Jones and Dean Rouse from a specimen collected from the Buckingbong State Forest near Narrandera and the description was published in Australian Orchid Research.[2] The specific epithet (beatrix) is a Latin word beatusmeaning "she that makes happy",[3] referring to "the pleasant feelings engendered when finding this species in its natural habitat'.[4]

Distribution and habitat

This leek orchid grows in grassy woodland in New South Wales but there is a single record from the Terrick Terrick National Park in Victoria.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Walsh. Neville. Prasophyllum beatrix. Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria - vicflora. 21 January 2018.
  2. Web site: Prasophyllum beatrix. APNI. 21 January 2018.
  3. Book: Brown. Roland Wilbur. The Composition of Scientific Words. 1956. Smithsonian Institution Press. Washington, D.C.. 447.
  4. Jones. David L.. New taxa of Australian Orchidaceae. Australian Orchid Research. 2006. 5. 144–145.