Pterostylis pusilla
R.S.RogersFlowering plant to 25 cm tall, stem leaves 2–4, closely sheathing. Rosette leaves 3–8, 1–3 cm long, 5–10 mm wide, narrowly elliptic to obovate, margins entire. Flowers 1–9, porrect to semi-nodding, c. 1 cm long, transparent with green and red markings and suffusions; dorsal sepal with a decurved filiform point 1.5–3 mm long; lateral sepals much narrower than the galea, deflexed, conjoined part ovate in outline when flattened, shallowly concave, margins folded inwards and nearly touching beneath the labellum, free points narrowly triangular, 3–5 mm long, slightly divergent, curved forward, 2–3 mm apart at the tips; petals with a well-developed proximal flange which nearly blocks off the base of the galea. Labellum oblong, 3–4 mm long, c. 1.5 mm wide, dark reddish-brown, moderately thick; marginal hairs 4–6 pairs, 0.5–1.5 mm long; basal lobe sloped backwards, with numerous hairs c. 0.2 mm long. Flowers Sep.–Nov.
LoM, MuM, Wim, Gold, NIS, EGL, HNF. Also SA. Widespread across northern Victoria usually among litter in sparse open-forest or mallee scrub on shallow stony or gravelly soils.
Distinguished from the similar P. aciculiformis by the smaller flowers with petals having prominent flanges toward their bases, and strongly incurved margins of the lateral sepals, making them noticeably narrower than the galea.
Jones, D.L. (1994). Pterostylis. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 2, Ferns and Allied Plants, Conifers and Monocotyledons, pp. 798–830. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Spinning
