Pterostylis ophioglossa, commonly known as the snake-tongue greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to eastern Australia. It has a rosette of leaves at the base and a single dull green, white and brown flower with a deeply notched labellum.
Pterostylis ophioglossa is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a rosette of between four and six egg-shaped leaves. Each leaf is NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide. Flowering plants have a similar rosette and a single dull green, brown and white flower borne on a flowering spike NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 high. The flowers are NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 long, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide and lean forward. The dorsal sepal and petals are joined and curve forward forming a hood called the "galea" over the column but the dorsal sepal is longer than the petals and has a pointed tip NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long. There is a flat, broad U-shaped sinus between the lateral sepals which have erect, thread-like tips NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long. The labellum protrudes above the sinus and is NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long, about 3sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide, curved and brown with a deep notch on the end. Flowering occurs between April and July.[1] [2]
Pterostylis ophioglossa was first described in 1810 by Robert Brown and the description was published in Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen.[3] [4] The specific epithet (ophioglossa) is derived from the ancient Greek words meaning "snake" and meaning "tongue".[5]
The snake-tongue greenhood grows in sheltered places in forest and scrub in coastal areas between Sydney in New South Wales and Eungella in Queensland.