Cobra Greenhood

[Andrew]

Diplodium grandiflorum (syn Pterostylis grandiflora)



I don't know if there are many people on this list at all interested in Australian terrestrial orchids but I thought I'd post this for something different. This species is probably my favourite of the cauline greenhoods. I been growing it for just under a year so I can't comment much of cultivation. Not a great flowering but my autumn flowering greenhoods have put on such an appalling display this year that I'm just happy this one decided to throw up some flowers. Summer was quite hot and dry in Melbourne which resulted in the terrestrials shooting late at the expense of the flowers. Fortunately the donkey and sun orchids seem to be growing well so there's hope for spring.



Andrew

[watsgw1155]

Very nice. Excellent photo! Are you growing these under lights?

[Dorothy]

WOW
How weird and wonderful!
Love the green antennii
It makes them alien looking
Thanks for sharing !
That would make a great photo for the calendar!
2008 OrchidBoard Calendar Contest

[Ironwood]

Interesting shape, very nice indeed.

[Tindomul]

I agree, that would make a great addition to the Calendar contest. These remind me so much of Jack in the Pulpits. Wow, I can't beleive its an orchid! Nice one.

[gands]

Very nice! Outstanding photo

[Andrew]

Watsgw1155,
I grow it outside under ~50% shade cloth. I don't know what that equates to in lumens. I live within the species' natural range so the temperature vs light battle indoor growers face isn't an issue in my case. I don't know how it would go indoors, under lights although I know of at least one indoor grower who is having success with some of the easier Australian terrestrials.

Tindomul1of9,
Funny that you should make the jack in the pulpit comparison. It's not uncommon for people over here to think they've got greenhoods growing in their garden until someones points out they're actually Arisaema.
As for looking like orchids, Australian terrestrials seem to make the most out of the floral structures they have to work with. The front of the flower which leads up in to those two 'antenae' are fused lateral sepals. The dorsal sepal and petals form the hood (the brown petals are covered by the green sepal). The column is tucked down out of sight inside the flower. You cant see the labellum in the photo but it's a thin structure inside the the flower that normally pokes out slightly from the opening (like the spadix in a jack in the pulpit). It's hinged so that whenever an insect pollinator touches it (or a careless photographer moves the plant to take a photo) it flicks back against the column. They're not exactly subtle about being pollinated . I don't how easy it was to follow that description. You really need to get a flower and pull it apart to see what goes where.

[Lagoon]

This is beautiful -- Would love to own one!!

[msm7951]

That is one interesting specie!

[Neverend]

Interesting indeed!