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  4. Pterostylis micromega

Pterostylis micromega

Opuatia Wetland, January 1991.<br>Photographer: Gillian M. Crowcroft, Licence: All rights reserved. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Opuatia Wetlands.<br>Photographer: Gillian M. Crowcroft, Date taken: 01/12/1990, Licence: All rights reserved.
Pterostylis micromega plant.<br>Photographer: Nicholas J. D. Singers, Licence: All rights reserved.
Pterostylis micromega.<br>Photographer: Nicholas J. D. Singers, Licence: All rights reserved.
Close up frontal shot at National Park.<br>Photographer: Eric Scanlen, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
National Park.<br>Photographer: Eric Scanlen, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
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Common names

swamp greenhood

Biostatus

Native – Endemic taxon

Category

Vascular

Structural class

Orchids

Flower colours

Green, White

Detailed description

Orchid 150–380 mm tall. Stem smooth, lower internodes short, becoming progressively longer toward apex. Basal leaves usually in a somewhat loose rosette, though when in exposed conditions then a compact rosette; petiole 5–10 mm; lamina 35–50 mm, pale green to grey-green, broad-elliptic, subacute, margins often but not always finely undulate. Upper leaves sessile, ovate to narrowly ovate, channelled, and weakly keeled, becoming sheathing near flower, uppermost often reaching or just overtopping flower. Flower conspicuous, solitary, erect, perianth white or cream. Dorsal sepal green, 25–40 mm, arcuate, apex acuminate to shortly caudate, ascending to decurved. Lateral sepals green and white striped at base, diverging at a narrow angle, apex caudate, overtopping galea. Petals white, shorter than dorsal sepal, acuminate. Labellum red-brown, narrow-triangular, arched, markedly protruding, apex narrowly obtuse. Column much shorter than labellum; stigma narrow-oblong, flat.

Similar taxa

A distinctive greenhood of wetland habitats whose broad-elliptic leaves usually arranged in a loose rosette, and usually with finely undulating almost crisped margins, and rather large, erect, whitish flower with long tapering, arcuate dorsal sepal immediately separate this greenhood from the other New Zealand Pterostylis species.

Distribution

Endemic. New Zealand: North Island (once known from Kaitaia to Wellington, the species is still present in the Huntly Basin, (Waikato), Volcanic Plateau, near Wanganui and in the Wairarapa), South Island (a plant was also known until recently from Knuckle Hill, North-west Nelson but it appears to have died out naturally), Chatham Islands (last reliably recorded in the late 1800s). This is one of a number of orchids that have successfully colonised habitats now dominated by exotic species. For example several populations in Waikato have been discovered thriving within the moss mounds developed under grey willow (Salix cinerea).

Habitat

Coastal, lowland to subalpine (0–1000 m a.s.l.). A plant of bogs, fens and swamps, ranging from acidic to eutrophic. it often forms colonies of 5–30 plants, ranging from large-leaved non-flowering juveniles through to flowering adults. It can be found growing under willows (Salix spp.).

Current conservation status

The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.

  • Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.

2023 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: DPR, DPT, EF, PF, RR

Jump to previous conservation statuses

Threats

Drainage of habitat; habitat invasion by weeds (in the Waikato royal fern (Osmunda regalis) seems to be the main weed threat); unrestricted wetland access by stock, and wild animals such as deer, pigs, and possums have proved to be a problem at some sites. Nevertheless this species requires some habitat disturbance to thrive, and soon succumbs if its habitat becomes too densely vegetated.

Detailed taxonomy

Family

Orchidaceae

Authority

Pterostylis micromega Hook.f.

Synonyms

Pterostylis polyphylla Colenso, Pterostylis furcata var. micromega (Hook.f.) Hatch

Endemic taxon

Yes

Endemic genus

No

Endemic family

No

Ecology

Flowering

November–February

Fruiting

November–March

Propagation technique

Difficult—should not be removed from the wild. Basic orchid mix consists of 2 parts medium coarse sand, ideally clean river sand; 2 parts soil, humus or leaf-mould; 1 part weathered sawdust or rotting wood; 1 part granulated bark. For Pterostylis shade of 50% and pots kept evenly moist.

Wetland plant indicator status rating

Information derived from the revised national wetland plant list prepared to assist councils in delineating and monitoring wetlands (Clarkson et al., 2021 Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Contract Report LC3975 for Hawke’s Bay Regional Council). The national plant list categorises plants by the extent to which they are found in wetlands and not ‘drylands’. The indicator status ratings are OBL (obligate wetland), FACW (facultative wetland), FAC (facultative), FACU (facultative upland), and UPL (obligate upland). If you have suggestions for the Wetland Indicator Status Rating, please contact: [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]

OBL: Obligate Wetland

Almost always is a hydrophyte, rarely in uplands (non-wetlands).

Other information

Etymology

pterostylis: Winged column

Manaaki Whenua Online Interactive Key

Key to native orchids of New Zealand

NVS code

The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.

PTEMIC

Chromosome number

2n = 44

Previous conservation statuses

The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.

  • Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.

2017 | Threatened – Nationally Endangered | Qualifiers: DP, EF, RR

2012 | Threatened – Nationally Endangered | Qualifiers: DP, EF

2009 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: CD, DP, EF

2004 | Threatened – Nationally Critical

Jump to current conservation status

Referencing and citations

References and further reading

de Lange P, Rolfe J, St George I, Sawyer J. 2007. Wild orchids of the lower North Island. Department of Conservation, Wellington, NZ. 194 p.

Attribution

Fact Sheet prepared from NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 1 October 2003. Description subsequently published in de Lange et al. (2007).

NZPCN Fact Sheet citation

Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Pterostylis micromega Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/pterostylis-micromega/ (Date website was queried)

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