Description
''Pseudovanilla foliata'' is a terrestrial, perennial plant, perennial, entirely wikt:glabrous, glabrous vine. Its yellow-green stem may be up to in diameter and in length; it is wikt:flexuose, flexuose and terete. Adventitious Root, Adventitious roots (roots that arise from the stem), which are thinly elongated and flexuose, extend from the nodes and are always accompanied by an opposite bract, a useful distinguishing feature. The leaves, sparsely interspersed between nodes, are elliptical, Glossary of leaf morphology#Leaf and leaflet shapes, acute or subacute and slightly fleshy, up to in length and in width. ''P. foliata'' bears a lax but highly branching inflorescence with 4 to 8 flowers at the apex of each offshoot. The rachis is slightly swollen, and the floral bracts are minute and triangular. The flowers have yellow Sepal, sepals and Petal, petals, as well as a ruffled white Labellum (botany), labellum with orange to pink markings. The sepals are oblong to strap-shaped and Glossary of botanical terms#obtuse, obtuse, in length and in width. The petals are narrow, slightly curved and strap-shaped, with the mid-vein on outside thickened; they are as long as the sepals and wide. The labellum (botany), lip, in length and in width, is broadly elliptic, with its base wikt:adnate, adnate (fused) to the column (botany), column. Near its apex (tip), the lip is vaguely 3-lobed with undulate margins; the lateral lobes are bluntly rounded, and the mid-lobe is shaped like a semicircle, indistinctly notched. The surface of the lip is covered with irregular protuberances and in the basal half with rather long obtuse warts. The labellum (botany), callus is keeled and extends from the base of the lip to the middle. The Column (botany), column of the flowers, long, is roughly cylindrical, slender, and gradually slightly dilated towards the apex; the wikt:clinandrium, clinandrium is slightly scalloped. The anther is square-hooded and in front slightly notched. The ovary is cylindrical and around long. The seed Capsule (fruit), capsules are long and in diameter. ''P. foliata'' flowers from October to January.Taxonomy and naming
The great climbing orchid was first formally described in 1861 by Ferdinand von Mueller, who gave it the name ''Ledgeria foliata'' and published the description in ''Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae''. Mueller then renamed it to ''Galeola foliata'' in 1873. In 1986, Leslie Andrew Garay published it under its currently accepted name, ''Pseudovanilla foliata''.Distribution and habitat
''Pseudovanilla foliata'' is found in Queensland as far north as Cape York Peninsula, as well as in the northeast and central east. Its southernmost distribution reaches coastal central New South Wales, and populations also exist in New Guinea. The plant has been found at elevations ranging from sea level to in well-developed lowland and upland rainforests and vine thickets, rainforest, often growing on live trunks or rotting wood in old stumps, logs, etc.Ecology
''Pseudovanilla foliata'' is capable only of limited photosynthesis in its stems and bracts and relies heavily on Myco-heterotrophy, mycoheterotrophic sources of nutrition by parasitizing fungi in decaying wood. Its seeds germinate on decomposing fallen wood, and as such, plants are usually found in areas following Disturbance (ecology), ecological disturbance, such as forests impacted by Cyclone, cyclones or logging. Though ''P. foliata'' can massively proliferate on fallen wood, its heavy dependence on decomposing fungi results in its eventual decline as the timber disintegrates. ''P. foliata'' is pollinated by small native bees.Conservation
''Pseudovanilla foliata'' is classified as "least concern" by the Queensland Government in the ''Nature Conservation Act 1992''.References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2115803 Pseudovanilla, foliata Plants described in 1861 Orchids of New Guinea Orchids of Australia Flora of Queensland Flora of New South Wales