The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Pterostylis trullifolia

Etymology

Pterostylis: winged column

Common Name(s)

trowel-leaved orchid

Current Conservation Status

2012 - Not Threatened

Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2012 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2009 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, Paul D. Champion, Shannel P. Courtney, Peter B. Heenan, John W. Barkla, Ewen K. Cameron, David A. Norton and Rodney A. Hitchmough. File size: 792KB

Previous Conservation Status

2009 - Not Threatened
2004 - Not Threatened

Authority

Pterostylis trullifolia Hook.f.

Family

Orchidaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

DIPTRU

Structural Class

Orchids

Synonyms

Pterostylis rubella Colenso; Pterostylis trullifolia var. gracilis Cheeseman; Diplodium trullifolium (Hook.f.) D.L.Jones, Molloy et M.A.Clem.

Distribution

Endemic. Three Kings, North and South Islands to about Canterbury and north Westland

Habitat

Coastal to montane (up to 1100 m a.s.l.). Usually on the forest floor in sparse leaf litter, open clay pans under scrub or amongst mosses in semi-shaded successional forest. Occasional invades rough pasture and lawns bordering forest remnants. Often found growing with Pterostylis alobula.

Features

Terrestrial, colony forming, perennial herb. Plants at flowering up to 320 mm tall. Stem green or reddish-green, slender, terete, mostly smooth, sometimes with the upper internodes minutely rugose; internodes usually > leaves. Petiolate leaves in a compact rosette at base of flowering stem; petiole distinct up to 10 mm long (usually less) not winged; leaf lamina 5-10 x 5-10 mm, dark green to green or reddish-green, broad-ovate to orbicular-cordate, apex acute to subacute, veins raised on upper leaf surface imparting a distinctly rugose, bullate-alveolate (embossed) texture. Cauline leaves 2-8, 5-20 x 2-5 mm, dark green, green to reddish-green, lowermost shortly petiolate and more or less trowel-shaped, grading into sessile, linear-lanceolate leaves, uppermost rarely overtopping ovary. Flower 1(-2) erect, green and white striped rarely tinged with red. Dorsal sepal 10-15 mm tall, apex acuminate, more or less horizontal; lateral sepals diverging at a wide angle forming a U or wide W shape when viewed from the front, sinus abruptly and prominently jugate in side view, tips long-caudate and much overtopping galea. Petals almost as long as dorsal sepal, with only a narrow marginal strip exposed. Labellum narrow-triangular, arched and protruding, apex subacute. Column shorter than labellum; stigma elliptic, slightly prominent.

Similar Taxa

Most likely to be confused with Pterostylis alobula from which it differs by its distinctly embossed rosette leaves, more slender, taller habit, smaller often red-tinged flowers, and by the more slender apex of the labellum which lacks the inverted U typical of P. alobula.

Flowering

May - September

Flower Colours

Green,White

Fruiting

July - January

Propagation Technique

Moderately easy to grow, especially in a pot. Should not be removed from the wild.

Threats

Not Threatened

Chromosome No.

2n = 50

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Life Cycle and Dispersal

Minute seeds are wind dispersed (Thorsen et al., 2009).

This page last updated on 8 May 2017