About Pterostylis brumalis L.B.Moore
Pterostylis brumalis L.B.Moore is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous herb that grows from an underground tuber and produces a rosette of egg-shaped to nearly round leaves. Each rosette leaf is 5–12 mm long and wide, attached to a petiole that can reach up to 10 mm in length. When flowering, plants typically produce a single white flower marked with narrow dark green stripes. The flower is borne on a stem that grows up to 200 mm high, and the stem carries between two and six stem leaves. Stem leaves measure 15–40 mm long and 2–8 mm wide. The dorsal sepal and petals are fused together to form a hood, also called a "galea", that covers the flower's column. The dorsal sepal curves strongly forward then downwards, ending in a pointed tip, while the petals flare outwards, giving the entire flower a cobra-like appearance. The lateral sepals are held close against the galea, and have thread-like tips that spread widely apart from one another. A flat, protruding sinus sits between the bases of the lateral sepals. The labellum is triangular in cross-section and protrudes above the sinus. Flowering of this species takes place between April and October. This species, commonly known as kauri greenhood, only grows in kauri (Agathis australis) forest or in areas with remaining kauri forest remnants. It most often grows in shady locations that have accumulated kauri leaf litter. It is found on New Zealand's North Island, in the region bounded by Cape Reinga, Kāwhia Harbour, and the Kaimai Range.
