New Zealand Native Orchids

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Pterostylis micromega

Swamp Greenhood

Rangataua Wetland 27 December 2021. Photo: Bill Campbell
Photo: Bill Campbell
Recorded distribution
Recorded distribution

Plant

To 30 cm tall medium-sized. Leaves slender to 5 cm broad and usually undulate.

Flowers

Large 2-50 mm long, pale green, almost white, with few wide spaces between stripes. Dorsal sepal smoothly and evenly curved throughout its length. Labellum tapered green, its upper third sharply arched forward well beyond the sinus of the lateral sepals.

Flowering

November - February.

Habitat

Lowland to montane wetlands, stream edges and bogs. Waikato to Nelson.

Conservation

Locally abundant but habitat often threatened; nationally endangered.

Notes

Often found in highly modified habitats such as under crack willow.

Key features

Wetland habitat, large flower with large white areas and long smooth curve of the dorsal sepal.

Photos

Rangataua Wetland 27 December 2021. Photo: Bill Campbell
Rangataua Wetland 1 January 2018. Photo: Bill Campbell
Rangataua Wetland 1 January 2018. Photo: Bill Campbell
Rangataua Wetland 27 December 2021. Photo: Bill Campbell
Rangataua Wetland 1 January 2018. Photo: Bill Campbell
Tangiwai. Photo: Eric Scanlen
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Greenhood orchids (Pterostylis)
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