Pterostylis abrupta
species of plant
Pterostylis abrupta, commonly known as tablelands greenhood, is a species of orchid endemic to New South Wales, Australia. It is distinguished from similar greenhood orchids by its thick, flat, platform-like sinus and blunt labellum which is only just visible above the sinus.
Description
Pterostylis abrupta is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a rosette of dark green, crinkled leaves, each leaf 10–25 millimetres (0.4–1 in) long and 10–15 millimetres (0.4–0.6 in) wide. A single flower 23–27 millimetres (0.9–1 in) long and 12–15 millimetres (0.5–0.6 in) wide is borne on a stalk 150–450 millimetres (6–20 in) high. The flowers are dark green, white and brown. The dorsal sepal curves forward with a thread-like tip 10–18 millimetres (0.4–0.7 in) long and with the petals forms a hood or "galea". The lateral sepals have a thread-like tip 30–40 millimetres (1–2 in) long and there is a protruding, platform like sinus between their bases. The labellum is 13–15 millimetres (0.5–0.6 in) long, 4 millimetres (0.2 in) wide, brown, blunt and just visible behind the sinus. Flowering occurs from December to April.
Taxonomy and naming
Pterostylis abrupta was first formally described in 1985 by David Jones and the description was published in The Orchadian.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Pterostylis abrupta” as species of plant. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the science & nature register because the source frames it as species of plant. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Datasets, specimens, observations and peer-reviewed methods provide the appropriate test for the technical claims summarized here. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 18, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q15491178. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1985.
Current terminology should not be projected backward without checking the classification used when the underlying evidence was created. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Pterostylis abrupta”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Pterostylis abrupta primary sources, Pterostylis abrupta archive and Pterostylis research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Pterostylis abrupta”?
- Is the terminology current, historical or disputed?
- Which observation, specimen, dataset or publication supports the account?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Pterostylis abrupta” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.