Prasophyllum nitidum

Prasophyllum nitidum is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single tube-shaped, shiny, green leaf which is 100–250 mm (4–10 in) long and 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide near its maroon-tinged base. Between five and twenty scented, maroon, magenta or purple and green flowers are loosely arranged along a flowering spike 30–70 mm (1–3 in) long, reaching to a height of 400 mm (20 in). The flowers are 5–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) 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 lance-shaped to egg-shaped, 5–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) wide. The lateral sepals are greenish-brown or maroon, linear to lance-shaped, 5–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long, 1–2 mm (0.04–0.08 in) wide, mostly free from each other and curved backwards. The petals are purplish maroon, oblong, 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long, about 1.5 mm (0.06 in) wide and spread widely. The labellum is pale purple to maroon, oblong to egg-shaped, 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long, 2–4 mm (0.08–0.2 in) wide and turns sharply upward at 90° about half-way along. The upturned part is wavy or crinkled with hair-like papillae on the edges. …

The shining leek orchid mostly grows in woodland on fertile plains in the mid to upper south-east of South Australia and near Edenhope in far western Victoria.