Pterostylis foliata

Detailed description

Terrestrial, tuberous, glabrous, spring to summer-green perennial herb, either solitary or forming small colonies of 3–6 plants through vegetative extension. Plant at flowering 150–400 mm tall. Stem stiffly erect, smooth or sparsely and unevenly puberulent, dark green to yellow green; usually elongating following fruit set; upper internodes usually longer than stem leaves. Basal leaves 2–4, yellow-green to dark green, sessile, arranged in a more or less loose to crowded rosette; lamina up to 80 × 25 mm, elliptic, margins smooth, crisped or undulose, apex subacute, gradually narrowed into a short, winged petiole. Cauline leaves 1–2, yellow-green to green, 20–30 mm long, more or less foliaceous, closely sheathing, uppermost sometimes reaching but scarcely overtopping flower. Flower solitary, erect, white with broad green to greenish-brown stripes, often brown toward the apex. Ovary erect, papillose. Dorsal sepal 20–30 × 20 mm long, erect for ⅔ of length then curving forwards, apex acute and more or less horizontal, extending no further than petals. Lateral sepals closely embracing galea, papillose on the fused portion, sinus narrow, not protruding, diverging at a narrow angle, tips caudate up to 18 mm long and overtopping galea. Petals only a littler shorter than dorsal sepal, broad almost to apex. Labellum dark green above and paler beneath, protruding, narrow-triangular, arched, tapering to a narrowly obtuse apex, margins slightly upturned. Column shorter than labellum; stigma elliptic, more or less prominent.