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Prasophyllum
Prasophyllum, commonly known as leek orchids, is a genus of about 140 species of flowering plants in the orchid family, Orchidaceae and is found in Australia and New Zealand. The Australian species are found in all states but have not been recorded in the Northern Territory. The common name arises from their having a hollow, leek- or onion-like leaf. Some species only flower after summer fires and have flowers similar to those of Xanthorrhoea which flower at the same time, suggesting that they employ the same pollinating insects. Leek orchids are similar to those in the genus Genoplesium except that the free part of the leaf is cylindrical (flat in Genoplesium) and the labellum has a solid (rather than flexible) connection to the column. They range in size from the little laughing leek orchid (P. gracile) at about 15 cm (6 in) to the king leek orchid (P.
Leek orchids occur in all states of Australia, but not in the Northern Territory. There are 20 named species in Western Australia as well as a further 40 that have been discovered but not as yet described. There are 28 species in Tasmania, about 40 in New South Wales and 15 in South Australia. New Zealand has about 6 species, occurring on both main islands as well as Stewart and Chatham Islands. In Western Australia alone, they grow in a range of habitats from the margins of salt lakes, to swamps and dense karri (Eucalyptus diversicolor) forests.
Genoplesium mucronatum · Prasophyllum abblittiorum · Heathland leek orchid · Prasophyllum albovirens · Prasophyllum album · Mauve leek orchid · Alpine leek orchid · Dainty leek orchid · Pretty Hill leek orchid · Tapered leek orchid · Prasophyllum argillaceum · Prasophyllum asinantum
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Prasophyllum by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.
