Pterostylis torquata, commonly known as the collared greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to New South Wales. As with similar greenhoods, the flowering plants differ from those which are not flowering. The non-flowering plants have a rosette of leaves flat on the ground but the flowering plants have a single flower with leaves on the flowering stem. This greenhood has a white flower with dark green and dark brown markings, although in some areas, the flowers lack the brown markings. The sinus between the lateral sepals is platform-like.
Pterostylis torquata is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and when not flowering, a rosette of dark green leaves lying flat on the ground. Each leaf is NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide. Flowering plants have a single erect flower NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide on a flowering stem NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 high with between three and five spreading stem leaves. The flower is usually white with dark green and dark brown markings. The dorsal sepal and petals are fused, forming a hood or "galea" over the column, the dorsal sepal with a short point on its end. The lateral sepals have erect, thread-like tips NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long. The sinus between the lateral sepals bulges platform-like and is usually dark brown. The labellum is curved, blackish, blunt, NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 long, about 3sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide and just visible above the sinus. Flowering occurs from February to May.[1]
Pterostylis torquata was first formally described in 1997 by David Jones from a specimen collected on the Northern Tablelands and the description was published in The Orchadian.[2] The specific epithet (torquata) is a Latin word "adorned with a necklace or collar".[3]
The collared greenhood grows in forest on the Northern Tablelands.[4]