Pterostylis micromega
Swamp Greenhood

PLANT: Terrestrial tuberous herb.
Up to 30cm high when in flower. Stem 2mm in diameter.

LEAVES: Basal leaves in a loose rosette, stalked, elliptic, sometimes with wavy edges. 35 - 50mm in length. Upper leaves without a stalk, channelled and slightly keeled.

FLOWER: Single. 2 - 3cm high. Pale green to almost white. Dorsal sepal longer than the petals. Lateral sepals overtop the dorsal sepal. Labellum red-brown, upper third arched sharply forward and distinctly protruding between the lateral sepals. Stigma narrow-oblong, flat.

FLOWERING TIME: November to February.

HABITAT: Lowland to montane stream edges and bogs.

CONSERVATION STATUS: Threatened - Nationally Critical.

NOTES: The flower is large in relation to the rest of the plant.
Once widespread, but is now restricted to just a few remnant populations.