Saturday, September 19, 2009

Blunt Greenhood

Pterostylis curta
Erythrorchis cassythoides
Native Orchid Society Display, Milne Bay Military Museum, Anzac Avenue. (Entry $3.00)
There was just one ground orchid in the display this year. Be sure you don’t miss it! The grower, Don Hosking, told me it was from Victoria. He has some greenhoods of more local origin, but they have finished flowering now and just this one was late.
Isn’t it a delight? There’s nothing showy about it, but it’s blissfully perfect in its detail.
Locally, this plant grows in moist and sheltered areas in our Eucalypt forests, on rainforest edges.
Its underground tubers are edible, and were once one of the staple foods of the local people.
You can see that Don has three tubers in this pot. They multiply, and can be separated out - or left to make a bigger show with more flowers per pot.

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