About Pterostylis baptistii Fitzg.
Pterostylis baptistii, commonly known as the king greenhood, is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous herb that grows from an underground tuber. Flowering individuals produce a rosette of four to eight stalked dark green leaves; each leaf measures 30 to 80 millimeters long and 20 to 25 millimeters wide. A single flower, 40 to 60 millimeters long and 20 to 30 millimeters wide, is borne on a flowering spike that reaches 200 to 400 millimeters in height. The flowers are white with green and brown markings. The dorsal sepal and petals are fused together to form a hood, also called a "galea", that covers the column. The dorsal sepal curves forward to a sharp tip, and is the same length as the petals. There is a wide gap between the petals and the lateral sepals. The lateral sepals have swept-back, thread-like tips that are 25 to 35 millimeters long. The sinus between the two lateral sepals is almost flat with a central notch, and bulges forward. The labellum is 18 to 22 millimeters long, 5 to 6 millimeters wide, reddish brown, and protrudes above the sinus. Flowering occurs mainly from July to November. This orchid grows mainly in coastal areas from southern Queensland through New South Wales to north-eastern Victoria. It inhabits areas with moist to wet soils on sheltered slopes in forest, and also grows near swamps.
