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Prasophyllum is a genus in the orchid family (Orchidaceae). Species of this genus are commonly called "Leek Orchids.' .There is no designated type species. Prasophyllum australe R.Br. was designated as lectotype (Clements, M.A. (1989). "Catalogue of Australian Orchidaceae". Australian Orchid Research 1 (109).)
The botanical name is derived from the Greek words prason (leek) and phyllon (leaf), referring the leek-like leaf.
These deciduous terrestrial orchids occur in Australia, Tasmania and a few species in New Zealand, growing on poor, sandy soils in temperate heaths and grasslands.
All species have prominent subterranean, tuberous, storage organs. They are sometimes called root-stem tuberoids, because their pole incorporates stem tissues.
Prasophyllum species grow in mycorrhizal associations with the fungus Ceratobasidium.
One can recognize the genus easily by the hollow, sheathing leaf through which the inflorescence, a spike of small inverted flowers, emerges. But many of the species are not easy to determine. Many species only flower following summer fires.
The whitish flowers are tinged or streaked with pink or green. Most of these species are fragrant. They are pollinated by insects. Interspecific hybridization is very common. Flowers from the spike can characteristics of different species.
The sepals and petals are narrow and inconspicuous. This makes them not very popular amongst orchid hunters.
The lip on the upper side of the flower is broad and slightly waved at the edge, often bearing an inner plate. This lip can be rigid and sessile or on a short claw. Some species have secretory tissue associated with the base of the labellum. The column is very short.
Species
About 110 species.
The genus is divided in several sections : Bifida, Genoplesium, Integra, Podochilus, Prasophyllum.
Genoplesium and Prasophyllum belong to the same lineage in the cladistic tree. Genoplesium is cladistically close to Prasophyllum, which brings into doubt its status as a segregate genus
- Prasophyllum affine Lindl. (1840)
- Prasophyllum album R.S.Rogers, (1909)
- Prasophyllum alpestre D.L.Jones, (1998)
- Prasophyllum alpinum R.Br. (1810) : Alpine Leek Orchid
- Prasophyllum amoenum D.L.Jones (1998)
- Prasophyllum antennatum M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones (1989)
- Prasophyllum apoxychilum D.L.Jones (1998)
- Prasophyllum australe R.Br. (1810) : Southern Leek Orchid, Austral Leek orchid
- Prasophyllum bagoense D.L.Jones (2000)
- Prasophyllum brevilabre (Lindl.) Hook.f. (1858)
- Prasophyllum brownii Rchb.f. (1871) : Christmas Leek Orchid
- Prasophyllum buftonianum J.H.Willis (1953)
- Prasophyllum calcicola R.J.Bates (1989) : Limestone Leek Orchid
- Prasophyllum campestre R.J.Bates & D.L.Jones (1991)
- Prasophyllum canaliculatum D.L.Jones (1997)
- Prasophyllum candidum R.J.Bates & D.L.Jones (1991)
- Prasophyllum caricetum D.L.Jones (2000)
- Prasophyllum castaneum D.L.Jones (1998)
- Prasophyllum caudiculum D.L.Jones (2000)
- Prasophyllum chasmogamum R.J.Bates & D.L.Jones (1991)
- Prasophyllum colensoi Hook.f. (1853)
- Prasophyllum concinnum Nicholls (1948) : Trim Leek Orchid
- Prasophyllum constrictum R.S.Rogers (1909)
- Prasophyllum correctum D.L.Jones, (1994)
- Prasophyllum crebriflorum D.L.Jones (2003)
- Prasophyllum cucullatum Rchb.f. (1871) : Hooded Leek Orchid
- Prasophyllum cyphochilum Benth. (1873) : Pouched Leek Orchid
- Prasophyllum diversiflorum Nicholls, (1942) : Gorae Leek Orchid
- Prasophyllum dossenum R.J.Bates & D.L.Jones, (1991)
- Prasophyllum drummondii Rchb.f. (1871) : Swamp Leek Orchid
- Prasophyllum elatum R.Br.. Tall Leek Orchid, Piano Orchid (one of the largest terrestrial orchids of Australia)
- Prasophyllum exiguum Rupp (1948)
- Prasophyllum exile D.L.Jones & R.J.Bates (1991)
- Prasophyllum favonium D.L.Jones (1998)
- Prasophyllum fecundum R.J.Bates (1989)
- Prasophyllum fimbria Rchb.f. (1871) : Fringed Leek Orchid
- Prasophyllum fitzgeraldii R.S.Rogers & Maiden (1909)
- Prasophyllum flavum R.Br. (1810) : Yellow Leek Orchid
- Prasophyllum fosteri D.L.Jones (2000)
- Prasophyllum frenchii F.Muell. (1889) : Maroon Leek Orchid
- Prasophyllum fuscum R.Br. (1810) : Tailed Leek Orchid
- Prasophyllum gibbosum R.Br. (1810) : Humped Leek Orchid
- Prasophyllum giganteum Lindl. (1840) : Bronze Leek Orchid
- Prasophyllum goldsackii J.Z.Weber & R.J.Bates (1978)
- Prasophyllum gracillimum Nicholls (1948) : Slender Leek Orchid
- Prasophyllum hectori (Buchanan) Molloy, D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem (2005)
- Prasophyllum hians Rchb.f. (1871) : Yawning Leek Orchid
- Prasophyllum hygrophilum D.L.Jones & D.T.Rouse (2003)
- Prasophyllum incompositum D.L.Jones (1991)
- Prasophyllum incorrectum D.L.Jones (2003)
- Prasophyllum incurvum D.L.Jones (1998)
- Prasophyllum lanceolatum R.S.Rogers (1920)
- Prasophyllum lindleyanum Rchb.f. (1871) : Green Leek Orchid
- Prasophyllum litorale R.J.Bates (1990)
- Prasophyllum macrotys Lindl. (1840) : Inland Leek Orchid
- Prasophyllum milfordense D.L.Jones (1998)
- Prasophyllum mimulum D.L.Jones (2004)
- Prasophyllum mollissimum Rupp (1948)
- Prasophyllum montanum R.J.Bates & D.L.Jones (1991)
- Prasophyllum morganii Nicholls (1930) : Cobungra Leek Orchid
- Prasophyllum mucronatum Rupp (1948)
- Prasophyllum murfetii D.L.Jones, (2000)
- Prasophyllum nichollsianum Rupp (1942)
- Prasophyllum niphopedium D.L.Jones (2000)
- Prasophyllum nublingii R.S.Rogers (1927)
- Prasophyllum obovatum Rupp (1948)
- Prasophyllum occidentale R.S.Rogers (1908)
- Prasophyllum occultans R.J.Bates (1989)
- Prasophyllum odoratissimum D.L.Jones (1996)
- Prasophyllum odoratum R.S.Rogers (1909) : Scented Leek Orchid
- Prasophyllum olidum D.L.Jones (1998)
- Prasophyllum ovale Lindl. (1840) : Little Leek Orchid
- Prasophyllum pallens D.L.Jones (2000)
- Prasophyllum pallidum Nicholls (1933) : Pale Leek Orchid
- Prasophyllum parviflorum (R.S.Rogers) Nicholls (1941)
- Prasophyllum parvifolium Lindl. (1840) : Autumn Leek Orchid
- Prasophyllum patens R.Br. (1810) : Broad-lip Leek Orchid
- Prasophyllum paulinae D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. (1996)
- Prasophyllum perangustum D.L.Jones (1998)
- Prasophyllum petilum D.L.Jones & R.J.Bates (1991)
- Prasophyllum plumiforme Fitzg. (1882)
- Prasophyllum pruinosum R.S.Rogers (1909)
- Prasophyllum pulchellum D.L.Jones (1998)
- Prasophyllum pyriforme E.Coleman (1932)
- Prasophyllum reflexum Fitzg. (1885)
- Prasophyllum regium R.S.Rogers (1918) : King Leek Orchid
- Prasophyllum retroflexum D.L.Jones (2000)
- Prasophyllum robustum (Nicholls) M.A.Clem. & D.L.Jones (1989)
- Prasophyllum rogersii Rupp (1928) : Marsh Leek Orchid
- Prasophyllum rostratum Lindl. (1840) : Slaty Leek Orchid
- Prasophyllum sargentii (Nicholls) A.S.George (1971) : Frilled Leek Orchid
- Prasophyllum secutum D.L.Jones (1998)
- Prasophyllum solstitium D.L.Jones (2000)
- Prasophyllum sphacelatum D.L.Jones (1996)
- Prasophyllum spicatum R.J.Bates & D.L.Jones (1991)
- Prasophyllum stellatum D.L.Jones (1998)
- Prasophyllum striatum R.Br. (1810) : Streaked Leek Orchid
- Prasophyllum suaveolens D.L.Jones & R.J.Bates (1994)
- Prasophyllum subbisectum Nicholls (1936)
- Prasophyllum suttonii Ewart & B.Rees (1912) : Mauve Leek orchid
- Prasophyllum sylvestre R.J.Bates & D.L.Jones (1991)
- Prasophyllum taphanyx D.L.Jones (2004)
- Prasophyllum transversum Fitzg. (1891)
- Prasophyllum triangulare Fitzg. (1882) : Dark Leek Orchid
- Prasophyllum trifidum Rupp (1941)
- Prasophyllum truncatum Lindl. (1840)
- Prasophyllum tunbridgense D.L.Jones (1998)
- Prasophyllum unicum Rupp (1942)
- Prasophyllum validum R.S.Rogers (1927) : Green Leek Orchid
- Prasophyllum wallum R.J.Bates & D.L.Jones, (1991)
- Prasophyllum wilkinsoniorum D.L.Jones, (2000)
References
- Jones, D.L. (1998). "A taxonomic review of Prasophyllum in Tasmania". Australian Orchid Research 3 (95).
- Jones, D.L. & Clements, M.A. (2005). "Miscellaneous nomenclature notes and changes in Australian, New Guinea and New Zealand Orchidaceae". The Orchadian 15 (1): 41.