Pterostylis trullifolia
Common names
trowel-leaved orchid
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Orchids
Flower colours
Green, White
Detailed description
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 × 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 × 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.
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: Manawatāwhi / Three Kings Islands, North Island, South Island (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.
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 | Not Threatened
Detailed taxonomy
Genus
Family
Synonyms
Pterostylis rubella Colenso; Pterostylis trullifolia var. gracilis Cheeseman; Diplodium trullifolium (Hook.f.) D.L.Jones, Molloy et M.A.Clem.
Taxonomic notes
Janes et al. (2010) following a thorough rDNA (ITS) based analysis of the segregate genera erected for Pterostylis R.Br. by Szlachekto (2001) and Jones et al. (2002) found no support to continue their recognition. This view is followed here.
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
May–September
Fruiting
July–January
Life cycle and dispersal
Minute seeds are wind dispersed (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Propagation technique
Moderately easy to grow, especially in a pot. Should not be removed from the wild.
Other information
Etymology
pterostylis: Winged column
Manaaki Whenua Online Interactive Key
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.
PTETRU
Chromosome number
2n = 50
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 | Not Threatened
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Regional conservation statuses
Auckland: 2025 | Regionally Not Threatened | Qualifiers: DPS, DPT
The regional threat classification system leverages off the national assessments in the NZTCS, providing information relevant for the regional context. Auckland conservation status information is sourced from the “Conservation status of vascular plant species in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland” Simpkins E et al. (2025) report.
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Janes JK, Duretto MF. 2010. A new classification for subtribe Pterostylidinae (Orchidaceae), reaffirming Pterostylis in the broad sense. Australian Systematic Botany 23: 260–269. https://doi.org/10.1071/SB09052.
Jones DL, Clements MA, Molloy BPJ. 2002. A Synopsis of the Subtribe Pterostylidinae. Australian Orchid Research 4: 129–146.
Moore LB, Edgar E. 1970. Flora of New Zealand, Volume II. Indigenous Tracheophyta: Monocotyledones except Gramineae. Government Printer, Wellington, NZ. 354 p.
Szlachekto, D.L. 2001: Genera et Species Orchidalium 1. Polish Botanical Journal 46(1): 11–26.
Thorsen MJ, Dickinson KJM, Seddon PJ. 2009. Seed dispersal systems in the New Zealand flora. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 11: 285–309. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ppees.2009.06.001.
Attribution
Fact Sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange (14 April 2007). Description adapted from Moore & Edgar (1970)
Some of this factsheet information is derived from Flora of New Zealand Online and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand licence.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Pterostylis trullifolia Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/pterostylis-trullifolia/ (Date website was queried)