Prasophyllum pallens

Prasophyllum bagoense is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single tube-shaped leaf, {{cvt|200–450|mm}} long and {{cvt|3–4|mm}} wide. Between fifteen and thirty flowers are crowded along a flowering spike {{cvt|60–100|mm}} long, reaching a height of {{cvt|300–500|mm}}. The flowers are crowded, pale tawny green to whitish, {{cvt|18–21|mm}} long and {{cvt|8–11|mm}} wide. As with others in the genus, the flowers are inverted so that the labellum is above the column rather than below it. The dorsal sepal is egg-shaped to lance-shaped, {{cvt|9.5–11|mm}} long, about {{cvt|2.5–3.0|mm}} wide and tapers to a point. The lateral sepals are pointed and project forwards, {{cvt|2.5–3.0|mm}} long and about {{cvt|2.5|mm}} wide. The petals are linear to oblong, {{cvt|8.5–9.0|mm}} long and {{cvt|1.3–1.5|mm}} wide. The labellum is lance-shaped but constricted near the middle, {{cvt|10–12|mm}} long and {{cvt|5.5–6.0|mm}} wide with a pale yellowish callus extending nearly to the tip of the labellum. Flowering occurs from October to December, usually in the absence of fire. The flowers are described as being both "sweetly fragrant" and as having "a rather unpleasant musty fragrance".{{cite journal |last1=Jones |first1=David L. |title=Ten new species of Prasophyllum (Orchidaceae) from south-eastern Australia. |journal=The Orchadian |date=2000 |volume=13 |issue=4 |pages=162–163 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/310675#page/18/mode/1up |access-date=13 September 2023}}{{cite book|last1=Jones|first1=David L.|title=A complete guide to native orchids of Australia including the island territories|date=2006|publisher=New Holland|location=Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.|isbn=1877069124|page =211}}{{cite web |title=Musty Leek Orchid - profile |url=https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.aspx?id=20132 |publisher=New South Wales Government Office of Environment and Heritage |access-date=13 September 2023}}

Prasophyllum pallens was first formally described in 2000 by David Jones from a specimen collected on Mount Banks and the description was published in The Orchadian.{{cite web|title=Prasophyllum pallens|url= https://id.biodiversity.org.au/instance/apni/575050|publisher=APNI|accessdate=13 September 2023}}

The specific epithet (pallens) means "pale".{{cite book |last1=Sharr |first1=Francis Aubi |last2=George |first2=Alex |title=Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings |date=2019 |publisher=Four Gables Press |location=Kardinya, WA |isbn=9780958034180 |page=269 |edition=3rd}}

Slaty leek orchid grows in dense, low heath in shallow sandy soil over sandstone at altitudes of {{cvt|1000–1100|m}} in the higher parts of the Blue Mountains of New South Wales.

Prasophyllum pallens is listed as "vulnerable" under the New South Wales Government Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016. It was one of eleven species selected for the Save a Species Walk campaign in April 2016; scientists walked 300 km to raise money for collection of seeds to be prepared and stored at the Australian PlantBank at the Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan.{{cite news | url=http://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/race-to-save-11-endangered-plants-in-nsw-20160408-go1yxf.html | title=Scientists race to save 11 endangered plants in NSW | author=Barlass, Tim | date = 10 April 2016 | work= Sydney Morning Herald}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.everydayhero.com.au/events/event_has_finished/19793 |title=Everyday Hero Australia: Save a Species 2016 |access-date=2017-10-17 |archive-date=2017-10-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171017101708/https://www.everydayhero.com.au/events/event_has_finished/19793 |url-status=dead }}

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pallens

Category:Flora of New South Wales

Category:Endemic orchids of Australia

Category:Plants described in 1810

Category:Taxa named by David L. Jones (botanist)