Tutukiwi

Pterostylis banksii is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and which often grows in colonies. When not flowering there is a rosette of between four and six oblong to broad lance-shaped leaves. Flowering plants have four to six linear to lance-shaped leaves arranged on the flowering stem and varying in shape depending on their position. The leaves are 50–250 mm (2–10 in) long, 10–20 mm (0.4–0.8 in) wide, the uppermost leaf or leaves taller than the top of the flower. The flowering stem is 100–680 mm (4–30 in) tall and there is usually only a single green flower with translucent white stripes. The dorsal sepal and petals are fused, forming a hood or "galea" over the column. The dorsal sepal is 25–50 mm (1–2 in) tall with the top nearly horizontal and tapering to a long narrow tip up to 25 mm (1 in) long. The lateral sepals taper to narrow tips up to 20 mm (0.8 in) long and are erect or turned backwards. The labellum is curved, has a reddish tip and extends above the sinus between the lateral sepals. Flowering occurs from September to December.

Pterostylis banksii grows in forest and shrubland, including of introduced species. It occurs on both the North and South Islands and on Chatham and Stewart Islands.

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