New Zealand Native Orchids
 
 
Pterostylis cardiostigma
 

 

Pterostylis cardiostigma
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Plant: reddish tinged to 50 cm tall, very erect with both flower and leaves upright. Leaves short 5-25 cm x 1-15 mm, and clasping the stem.

Flowers: lateral sepals short, scarcely longer than dorsal narrowly separating from the dorsal sepal and erect. Labellum tapering, reddish, peeping through a narrow V sinus. Stigma heart-shaped. Ovary striped red.

Flowering: October to December.

Habitat: lowland to subalpine, damp scrub and forest. South to Hokitika.

Conservation: never numerous, often only a few plants at any locality; not threatened.

Notes: Named for its lobed, heart shaped stigma. Distinguished from budding P. banksii by the upright clasping leaves and small opening to the flower with narrow, protruding labellum. The sepals may turn forward somewhat to be less “upright”.

Key features: upright stance of reddish plant with leaves prominently clasping the stem, labellum poking out from the small aperture between the tepals, heart-shaped stigma.