Prasophyllum subbisectum
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Pomonal leek orchid | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Prasophyllum subbisectum growing near Ararat | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
| Tribe: | Diurideae |
| Subtribe: | Prasophyllinae |
| Genus: | Prasophyllum |
| Species: | P. subbisectum |
| Binomial name | |
| Prasophyllum subbisectum | |
Prasophyllum subbisectum, commonly known as the Pomonal leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Victoria. It has a single, thin tubular leaf and up to fifteen small, greenish-brown to brown flowers well-spaced along a thin flowering stem. It is only known from a small area around Stawell.
Prasophyllum subbisectum is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single tube-shaped leaf 100–150 mm (4–6 in) long and 2–4 mm (0.08–0.2 in) wide. Between seven and fifteen flowers are well-spaced along a flowering stem 60–100 mm (2–4 in) long which reaches to a height of 150–300 mm (6–10 in). The flowers are greenish-brown to brown and as with others in the genus, are inverted so that the labellum is above the column rather than below it. The dorsal sepal is lance-shaped to egg-shaped, 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long, about 3 mm (0.1 in) wide and curves downward. The lateral sepals are 7–8 mm (0.28–0.31 in) long, about 1 mm (0.04 in) wide and curve backwards. The petals are 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long, about 1 mm (0.04 in) wide and pointed. The labellum is greenish or pinkish, egg-shaped, about 4 mm (0.2 in) long and 5 mm (0.2 in) wide and turns sharply upwards near its middle. There is a shiny green or brown, deeply channelled callus along the centre of the labellum, extending almost to its tip. Flowering occurs in October and November.[2][3][4]
Taxonomy and naming
Prasophyllum subbisectum was first formally described in 1936 by William Henry Nicholls and the description was published in The Victorian Naturalist from a specimen collected near Pomonal.[1][5] The specific epithet (subbisectum) is derived from the Latin word sectus meaning "cut",[6]: 247 with the prefixes sub- meaning "somewhat"[6]: 826 and bi- meaning "two" or "double".[6]: 823
