A new Tiny Greenhood - Speculantha ventricosa

This is a bit exciting - for me. It is my opportunity to be the first to Blog about a recently described species of Tiny Greenhood. Last Friday Alan Stephenson and I explored for other Orchids after our visit to Granite Falls. This is one of the species we found.

This is Speculantha ventricosa, described by David Jones in the September 2008 edition of The Orchadian, Vol 16 #1. (Cover and contents page only shown). Photos of this species, under this name, have been published on the Internet previously, by Alan Stephenson. Also it is referred to in this article by Alan re the Heritage Estate, near Vincentia, NSW. He has also nominated it as a Critically Endangered Species under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act. Its Draft Listing is under the old (more widely accepted) name Pterostylis ventricosa.


This species has previously been identified by way of descriptive names, such as Colin and Mischa Rowan's use of the phrase: "Speculantha sp. aff. parviflora - A Red Form" (The "sp aff" is shorthand for "Species close to, but separate from" Speculantha parviflora). Colin and Mischa have some very nice photos of this species, taken in the same district as today's plants, from south of Nowra. I have no doubt that his images and mine today, are of the same species. The difference is that after discussions and close examination of our photos from last Friday, and his earlier images of the plants which David Jones originally described, Alan has now gone back to David Jones to obtain confirmation that it is appropriate to name these plants with the name Speculantha ventricosa.

Here is a copy of the "recognition notes" 
from David Jones's original text  naming this species.

Click to enlarge text.

David Jones has confirmed the identification of these plants 

in a personal email to Alan Stephenson.

These plants differ from the similar plants found in Kangaloon which do not have the "points" (or ears) protruding above the top of the "hood" (galea).

1. My local tan coloured form has a shallow (non-protruding) sinus and "points" which do not rise above the "hood". The tip of the dorsal sepal is rounded, not pointed as in today's species, or the nominal species (linked below).
2. Another local plant is the true "nominal" species, Speculantha parviflora. It has a very prominent sinus (bulging out in front) and ears which reach but do not protrude above the hood.

The plants in today's post were found along the lower end of Twelve Mile Road (when we were on the way back from Granite Falls).

Firstly let us note the colour variation. 

These flowers open from the low end of the stem (bottom first).

As they age, these flowers tend to show a lighter orange-red colouring.

Speculantha ventricosa (near Nowra NSW)

This image shows the "Points" (ears).

These are the tips of the "lateral Sepals"

Speculantha ventricosa (near Nowra NSW)

This stem of flowers is fresh, and dark.

They show more green than the previous examples.

But the points are very noticeable.

Speculantha ventricosa (near Nowra NSW)

 This stem has four open flowers, and several yet to come.

Speculantha ventricosa (near Nowra NSW) 

Single flower cropped image

Points of the Lateral Sepals are curved over the "hood" (galea)

Speculantha ventricosa (near Nowra NSW) - single flower cropped

 Note the tip of the labellum is visible in this image.

That is unusual to see in these Tiny Greenhoods.

The point of the dorsal sepal is separated from the petals.

Speculantha ventricosa (near Nowra NSW) - single flower cropped

Here is a labelled image.

Note the pointed tip of the dorsal sepal
(the tip of the "hood" is pointed)

contrasted with my tan form from Kangaloon.
In that (linked) case the plant has a very heavily snubbed "nose".

(Click on photo to enlarge)

How much fun can one have on one day?

And there are the Corunastylis images yet to come.

Pharochilum daintreanum (Daintrey's Greenhood)

Pharochilum daintreanum - formerly Pterostylis daintreana.  

This plant was the reason for me going with Alan Stephenson, to Granite Falls, two weeks ago, and nearly busting my foot in the process. I hobbled for two weeks as a result of the difficult terrain there. Yet I went back again once my foot had recovered (to see this plant in flower). The bonus was getting the shot of the gills of the blue Entoloma Fungus, yesterday (which shot I ought have taken previously, but didn't because my foot was so sore). The Skink with the Flying Ant was a further bonus.


For once this awful name cannot be blamed on the Polish botanist, Dariusz Szlachetko, who has a love of giving our Orchids ugly names. This one has "Benth" in brackets after its name, but I think Mr George Bentham probably called it Pterostylis daintreana (certainly not Pharochilum daintreanum).

From what I can gather, this name is down to Jones and Clements.
Orchidaceae "Pharochilum" D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem. Austral. Orchid Res. 4: 80 (2002).


Mr Bentham was an eminent English chap. He worked initially as an amateur botanist, but his work was so well regarded by his associates, especially Sir Joseph Hooker (the younger Hooker), that he was invited to work at Kew Gardens as a botanical researcher. Eventually he published his Flora Australiensis, in seven volumes (1863–1878). Somewhere along the line he managed to be president of the Linnean Society for 14 years, and was awarded the Royal Medal of the Royal Society.


As for the "daintreana" part, it is a little unclear to me, But I assume it is named after Mr Edwin Daintrey, an "expert amateur botanist and a founder of the Linnean Society of NSW" rather than the Mr Richard Daintree, the Government Geologist for North Queensland (and amateur botanist while in Queensland). The latter man clearly got the river named after him. But David Jones in his book refers to it as "Daintree's Greenhood". I remain sceptical, but without access to the original text of Bentham's Flora Australiensis (in 7 volumes) I cannot check that fact. You can make up your own mind which of those fine amateur botanists was the more likely nominee. If indeed it is named after Mr Richard Daintree, then there must be a spelling mistake in the original Latin Botanical description, for the "form" is wrong. Note that Mr Daintree does have an Acacia named after him, but it has the "double e" in the plant name - Acacia daintreeana (F. Muell) That's why I have gone with Mr Edwin Daintrey as the more likely person after whom this plant was named (that and the fact that it is primarily a southern NSW Plant - but it does apparently stray into Queensland).



This story is a bit like "Great Expectations" (pity poor Martin, waiting, waiting, and wading through all this historical stuff, with just a little botanical terminology thrown in to annoy him further). 

Enough already. Here is the plant in question.

Pharochilum daintreanum in situ, growing out from under a rock.

 And a funny little thing it is too.

Clearly it is a Greenhood, and clearly related to the Bunochilus group and the Rustyhoods (Oligochaetochilus) with that high prominent "brow" on the "hood" (galea), and the very low-held ("deflexed") lateral sepals.

What I was not expecting was just how flimsy the plant is. The stem is very fine, not much thicker than a matchstick. This particular plant stands about 180mm high (approx 8 inches in the "old money").

But here at last one can see the flower structure.

Pharochilum daintreanum - a lateral view.

Note the fine pointed "lateral sepals" (the bits underneath the "hood")

In this next image, note the dark labellum and the two large side lobes.

Those side lobes remind me 

of the shape of Donald Campbell's ill-fated "Bluebird"

Pharochilum daintreanum - a surprise in the shape of the Labellum

One can clearly see the "side lobes" of the Labellum,

when it is in the closed position.

Pharochilum daintreanum - underneath view of the labellum when "closed"

This greenhood has leaf rosettes only when in the non-flowering (sterile) state. Flowering plants have "bract-like stem leaves" (but no rosette). Here are some non-flowering plants, in situ, in moist moss over a shallow rock bed.

Pharochilum daintreanum - leaf rosettes of non-flowering plants

So, does this plant warrant its own generic name (separate from the rest of the Pterostylis tribe)? 

Well, I think so, for it has very significant differences in flower structure, shape and growth habit from other related Greenhoods I have already mentioned, and it barely resembles other Greenhoods, like the Speculanthas, or Pterostylis acuminata, to name just two recent examples from that group.


So, despite their penchant for "clunky names" I am still a supporter of the revised names of Jones and Clements for Orchids, but most especially for their revision of the genus Pterostylis.

Peter Weston of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney has this to say on the subject. (Note the arrogant use of the Royal Plural in this following quote which he has signed with his own name - not signed as part of any Editorial Committee for PlantNET):
"We  have chosen not to recognise the following genera segregated from, or resurrected from synonymy under Pterostylis by Jones & Clements (2002, Australian Orchid Research volume 4): Bunochilus, Crangonorchis, Diplodium, Eremorchis, Hymenochilus, Linguella, Oligochaetochilus, Petrorchis, Pharochilum, Plumatichilos, Ranorchis, Speculantha, Stamnorchis, Taurantha, Urochilus. Those authors justified recognition of these genera on the grounds that their phylogenetic analysis showed these taxa all to be monophyletic and that each was supported by some morphological characters. However, as these authors also noted, Pterostylis, as traditionally circumscribed, is also a monophyletic group that is strongly supported by both morphological and molecular data. The numerous name changes that they proposed for Pterostylis are simply unnecessary. (P.H. Weston March 2007)"

It is remarkably odd that Peter Weston, a recognised authority on Proteaceae is perfectly happy to go along with revisions of names (and "splitting" of species) within the Proteaceae tribe, but refuses to acknowledge the value of naming systems which separate out the blindingly obvious morphological differences in the Greenhood tribe. 

This is Plant Politics at its worst.  

• Sydney RBG versus CSIRO in Canberra. 
• Plant systematics (which few but the ruling "botanical elite" with access to DNA classifiying technology can deal with) - versus accessible, "field work" plant classifications. 
• And it ignores clearly identifiable plant characteristics which are relied upon by people like me, who depend upon good names which distinctively identify a plant. 
• After all, that is what plant names are good for, surely?

If I say a plant is a "Pterostylis" - it could mean just about anything:

• spring, summer, autumn or winter flowering; 
• short or tall; 
• with leaf rosettes, or not (when flowering); 
• with a simple labellum or, as in this plant, with a broad, prominent labellum capable of blocking off the entire "hood" (when triggered by a pollinating insect);
• with "pointed ears" or deflexed lateral sepals, as in this plant.

Even if one went with the other synonym of Oligochateochilus daintreanum I would still know to look for the bold "brow" on the "hood", a wide labellum, and those deflexed sepals.

But if I use the name Pharochilum - it means only type of "Greenhood" - this one. 

The case for this generic name would be even clearer if there were several species within this genus. But this species cannot be held responsible for that fact. But if you were to follow this "naming" issue back to the Bunochilus group, it would be exactly the same argument, and perhaps even more easily justified.

A final look at the Mystery Blue Fungus (Entoloma)

I had been promising to go back to Granite Falls. The full reason for this trip will be revealed tomorrow, but for today, here is the full look at the critical diagnostic features of Entoloma virescens

Entoloma virescens - fading slowly, damaged cap.

Entoloma virescens - blue gills, coarse, brown spores

While we were at Granite Falls, we also came across this little Skink. It had run out into the very shallow water running over the granite rock bed.

Skink on thin branch over creek bed

Skink with Insect - probably a wasp

I have looked at this insect as closely as I can, and from the shape of its wings, I think it is a Wasp. In the field, I was inclined to say it might have been a flying Ant.***

Christopher Taylor has kindly told me it was indeed an Ant. He said:
"The insect is indeed an ant (which is, after all, a type of wasp). You can see the two horns on the narrow segment joining the front and back parts of the body that identify it as such. Specifically, I'd guess that it was a young queen; the male ants that I've seen have all been more slender."

Do it Yourself Mapping tool

Here is an incredibly powerful tool anyone can use. It is perfect for persons of outdoors interests of just about any specialisation. 

It is built by the Federal Government to map Australia's mineral resources and Mines, (operational and old ones).

However, it has an interesting alternative use.

You can simply hit the topography button (which blanks out the mine mapping options) and zoom in (use the + symbol and click back on the the map, repeatedly) to map any area of Australia and convert it to a printable small scale PDF map and print off any area in Australia you are interested in.

Australia Mines Atlas

Bingo: Do it yourself small scale - topographical maps of any part of Australia - free of charge.

Who says the Federal Government doesn't have its uses?

Here is an example of Granite Falls and Tianjara Falls district (the subject of my previous postings).

Mystery of the Blue Fungus solved

The mystery of the Blue Fungus at Granite Falls has been solved courtesy of the Sydney Fungal Studies Group in their latest Newsletter.

Compare my poor photo - without flash - (above) and theirs (from the magazine). 

Extracted from SFSG Newsletter Vol 23 # 2,  April 2011

Here is my second shot.

Note the blue stem.

Entoloma virescens at Granite Falls, NSW.

Various people told me it was an "Entoloma". Thanks to Don and Judith Gover from SFSG and Gaye Drady and also Peter (commenting all the way from Germany).

Now it seems I have the full name Entoloma virescens. The only odd thing about that is that "virescens" means: "go, grow or become green" I have seldom seen such a blue fungus. But according to this site, it does age into a dull green colour.

Thanks once again to everyone who helped along the way. Co-operative Blogging and Internet work is a great feeling.

Eriochilus petricola at Granite Falls

This was a new experience for me - visiting Granite Falls. My friend Kirsten had told me about this place, but I could not imagine what it looked like, or why it is here.

It is within the Morton National Park, and that Park is centred on the Shoalhaven Valley, and is dominated by a huge Sandstone plateau. So, what is Granite Falls doing there?

Seemingly it is a geological "intrusion" 

into the surrounding Sandstone plateau.

This is a composite image, and because of the steep angle

of the rocks, my images only match if put together like this.

Igmnore the black surrounds.

Also the grey mass in the lower left foreground

is part of the lookout structure. Ignore that too.

Just follow the water line from the top to the pool, 

way down at the base.

Granite Falls (composite image)

Well, it is there. I have seen it with my own eyes. And it is very strange indeed. Not as steep sided as the usual "Falls" in Morton National Park. But impressive none-the-less.

Also strange was this amazing blue fungus. Small, with a high crowned cap, and a blue stem underneath (visible in the second image). It seems likely that it is a type of Entoloma. My foot was playing up, and I did not take the images I ought have taken - gill shots, etc. I hope to go back next week.

 Note the blue stem underneath.

The day I went there, with Alan Stephenson, it was drizzly and as I discovered, the rock shelf above the Falls is dangerously slippery.

However, it was worth the effort in carefully negotiating this seemingly innoculous rock shelf. The smooth surface of the granite rock was very slippery and potentially dangerous.

We found these plants:

Eriochilus petricola

As the name suggests, this plant loves rock shelves.

It has short stubby hairs on the margins of the lateral sepals

(the large creamy white organs)

The lateral petals ("Bunny Ears") are clearly hairy.

Eriochilus petricola

Its diagnostic feature is the leaf present at flowering time

(but its cousin E cucullata often has

a leaf forming when it flowers).

More importantly, the leaf of this species is red underneath,

not green.

(click to enlarge image)

That Eriochilus is a new species for me.

The more common species in my area is the Parsons Bands Orchid

or "Bunnies Ears".

Eriochilus cucullatus

 Drosera spatulata

This ia  wonderful colony of these tiny Sundews.

Drosera spatulata in situ on shallow moss bed over rock

 Close up of Drosera spatulata

Unfortunately they were only in bud, not in flower.

If I do go back I shall update this post 

with more, and hopefully better, photos.