Pterostylis plumosa, commonly known as the bearded greenhood or plumed greenhood is a species of orchid in the family Orchidaceae which is endemic to south-eastern Australia and possibly New Zealand. Its labellum or lip is long and thin, bordered with golden hairs, giving it the name "bearded".
Pterostylis plumosa is a perennial herb rising from round tubers to form small colonies and grows to a height of NaNcm (-2,147,483,648inches). It has 5-20 fleshy lance-shaped, pale green leaves crowded around the base of the stem and extending upwards, NaNmm long and NaNmmwide. There is a single flower on each plant, about 30mm long, erect and translucent with fine dark green lines and reticulations. The labellum is long and thin (about 1.5mm wide), bearded with golden-yellow hairs and ending in a red-brown knob. The dorsal sepal (at the back of the flower) narrows at the end to a thin point, 4mm long. The flowers appear from August to November.[1] [2] [3]
Pterostylis plumosa was first described in 1969 by Leo Cady in "Australian Plants" (published by the Australian Native Plants Society), from a specimen collected "on the road to Abercrombie Caves". The specific epithet plumosus is a Latin word meaning "feathered".[4]
The bearded greenhood occurs in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. It is also thought to occur in New Zealand.[5] It is an uncommon species, growing in "heathy woodland [in] semi shade".