Grassland Greenhood  |  

The Grassland Greenhood is a multi-flowered orchid with a rosette of 6-12 dark green leaves that encircle the base of the species’ flower stem. Small green and white hooded flowers crowd the end of the stem which is about 20 cm high. The leaves are crowded, oval shaped, 12-25 mm long and 8-18 mm wide. In flower, the species is generally 8-20 cm tall, though in dry years the plants may remain as short as 5 cm. They have 2-24 moderately crowded bright green and white flowers. The hood apex curves down and terminates with a short tip. The two lateral sepals hang down and are fused to form a pouch below the labellum though the tips may remain free. The labellum, which also hangs down, is thin-textured, pale green and oblong and has an appendage that points out with a dark green, knob-like apex with a pointed beak about 0.9 mm long. In all, the flowers are 7-9 mm long and 4-4.5 mm wide.