About Pterostylis tanypoda D.L.Jones, Molloy & M.A.Clem.
Pterostylis tanypoda D.L.Jones, Molloy & M.A.Clem. is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous herb that grows from an underground tuber. Non-flowering individuals produce a stalked rosette of bluish-green, egg-shaped leaves, which measure 5–15 mm (0.2–0.6 in) long and 5–12 mm (0.2–0.5 in) wide. Up to seven bluish-green flowers with white stripes are crowded along a fleshy flowering stem that is 20–100 mm (0.8–4 in) tall; this stem also bears many leaves similar to those of the rosette, but smaller in size. The dorsal sepal and petals are fused to form a hood, called a "galea", that covers the flower's column. The galea is 5–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long and wide, and the dorsal sepal is slightly longer than the petals. The lateral sepals are downturned and joined to one another. The labellum is short, broad, and blunt, with a dark green lobe at its upper end. Flowering takes place between October and January. This species of greenhood orchid grows in montane and subalpine grassland on the eastern side of New Zealand's South Island, ranging between Marlborough and Southland.
