Prasophyllum candidum, commonly known as the Kiandra leek orchid,[1] is a species of orchid endemic to eastern Australia. It has a single tubular, yellowish-green leaf and up to forty scented, bright white to greenish flowers. It grows in subalpine areas at altitudes above 1000sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 in New South Wales and Victoria although in the latter state it is considered to be a form of P. odoratum.
Prasophyllum candidum is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous herb with an underground tuber and a single tube-shaped, yellowish-green leaf which is NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide. Up to forty fragrant, bright white to greenish flowers are densely crowded along a flowering spike which is NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long. As with other leek orchids, the flowers are inverted so that the labellum is above the column rather than below it. The dorsal sepal is linear to egg-shaped, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long, about 4sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide and curves inwards. The lateral sepals are linear to lance-shaped, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long, about 2.5sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide and spread widely apart from each other. The petals are linear to lance-shaped, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long, about 3sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide and have a dark central stripe. The labellum is oblong to egg-shaped, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long, NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 wide, turns upwards and reaches above the lateral sepals. The edges of the labellum are very ruffled and there is a yellowish-green, grooved callus in its centre. Flowering occurs from December to early February.[2] [3]
Prasophyllum candidum was first formally described in 1991 by Robert Bates and David Jones from a specimen collected between Tumut and Adaminaby and the description was published in Australian Orchid Research.[4] The specific epithet (candidum) is a Latin word meaning "shining white" or "bright",[5] referring to the colour of the flowers.
This leek orchid grows in sub-alpine grassland above 1000sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 in south-western New South Wales and Victoria. The Victorian Herbarium considers this species to be a form of P. odoratum.[6]