About Pterostylis monticola D.L.Jones
Pterostylis monticola is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous herb that grows from an underground tuber. It produces a rosette of three to seven dark green, fleshy leaves around the base of its flowering stem. Each leaf is egg-shaped to elliptic, measuring 40–90 mm long and 15–25 mm wide. A single dark green and white flower, 40–50 mm long and 17–22 mm wide, grows on a 200–400 mm tall spike. The dorsal sepal and petals are fused to form a hood called a "galea" that covers the column. The dorsal sepal is the same length as the petals, curves forward, and ends in a pointed tip. There is a wide gap between the galea and the lateral sepals. The lateral sepals are held upright, have 15–20 mm long thread-like tips, and have a bulging V-shaped sinus between them. The labellum is 16–20 mm long, about 4 mm wide, brown, and curved, and it protrudes above the sinus. Flowering occurs between November and March. This species, commonly known as the large mountain greenhood, is common in moist grassy areas within montane forests and shrubland in New South Wales and Victoria.
