In an earlier post I reported that I had found one solitary Maroonhood Orchid. Since then, I’ve discovered three small colonies. However, I’m unsure if one of these colonies is the same species, or a sub-species. Can anyone help me to correctly identify it from the photographs below? I have spent quite a bit of time … Continue reading Calling Orchid Enthusiasts: Help Please!
Tag: Native Orchids
Slaty Helmet Orchid Bud (Corybas incurvus)?
I’ve placed a question mark in the title of this post because the bud is so small and it may prove to be something else. However, from a little bit of research, I’m fairly confident that I’ve finally found a Helmet Orchid! Looking at other photos on the Internet, I think I have enough information … Continue reading Slaty Helmet Orchid Bud (Corybas incurvus)?
Salmon Sun-orchid (Thelymitra rubra)
The emergence of the Salmon Sun-Orchids occurred in mid-October. It coincided with an illness, an awkward photographic position and low light, so I resolved to come back the next day and photograph them properly. Unfortunately I didn’t make it back for two or three days. By the time I got back to look for them, … Continue reading Salmon Sun-orchid (Thelymitra rubra)
Western Bronzehood Orchid (Caladenia iridescens)
Commonly referred to as a Bronze Caladenia, this tiny orchid is difficult to spot. It really blends into the background! However, we were lucky enough to find a couple that were flowering toward the end of October. According to David L Jones “Native Orchids of Australia” the blooms only last from two to five … Continue reading Western Bronzehood Orchid (Caladenia iridescens)
Red Beard-orchid (Calochilus paludosus)
I’ve saved a special orchid for Christmas. We only had one of these growing – at least, we only found one. Even then, we would have missed it without our friend’s sharp eyes. At the time the bud was just on the point of opening. We staked it and visited every day to see it … Continue reading Red Beard-orchid (Calochilus paludosus)
Duck-Orchid
Another intriguing Australian Terrestrial Orchid was among the many flowers we found on a sunny day last week. Richard initially saw a plant that seemed to have a differently shaped bud. We noted where it was growing and waited for our expert friend to visit. She identified that it would develop into a Duck-Orchid. Another … Continue reading Duck-Orchid
Tiger Orchid: Diuris sulphurea
We are lucky enough to have clumps of Tiger Orchids. These beautiful, often large, flowers really attract attention with their bright yellows, browns and blacks. A ‘cousin’ of the Donkey Orchid, the Tiger Orchid shares the two large upright lobes. We have Tiger Orchids in all of our main micro-climate zones. They are growing … Continue reading Tiger Orchid: Diuris sulphurea
Spotted Sun Orchids (Thelymitra ixioides)
Over the last few weeks I have taken a swag of photos of Australian native flowers, including more Australian Terrestrial Orchids. Rather than post a gallery of them here, I’ll post them one by one, and build these posts into a plant index. Today, I’m going to focus on the beautiful Spotted Sun Orchids. Many … Continue reading Spotted Sun Orchids (Thelymitra ixioides)
Donkey Orchid (Diuris orientis)
These Donkey Orchids were a cheerful addition to my daily walk. We had a patch of around five or six plants in a three meter radius in a transitional position between dry bushland and a grassed area. While they were not densely packed together, I found it interesting that they were all growing in … Continue reading Donkey Orchid (Diuris orientis)
Brown-clubbed Spider-orchid Caladenia phaeoclavia
My friend pointed out the leaves of the spider orchid before it flowered. We placed a loop of squared fence wire around the precious flower (so the Swamp Wallaby would not eat it) and waited. Eventually it bloomed. Luckily I took some photographs, because I went back a few days later to find only a … Continue reading Brown-clubbed Spider-orchid Caladenia phaeoclavia
Vanilla Orchid (Thelymitra antennifera)
In researching this orchid I have discovered that it is also called the Lemon Orchid, Rabbit-ears or Rabbit’s Ears Orchid. Looking at the photo on the guide, I can see that the dark marks in the centre do look like some flopsy ears. These aren’t shown in my photos, so I will go back out … Continue reading Vanilla Orchid (Thelymitra antennifera)
Pink Fingers: Australian Native Orchid (Caladenia carnea)
Today I was finally able to go out looking for native flowers again. I’ve had a busy few days, and when I was ready to take a break, it was raining. Over the three days, many more Waxlip Orchids have opened. I found these distributed throughout the bushland, with some patches and some solitary plants. … Continue reading Pink Fingers: Australian Native Orchid (Caladenia carnea)
Gnat Orchid
On the same day I photographed the Waxlip Orchid, I also managed to get some clearer photographs of the Gnat Orchid. This Orchid is so hard to see. It is so tiny, the stems are slimmer than a blade of grass, and brownish purple. i was so lucky to be with people who knew what … Continue reading Gnat Orchid
The First Waxlip Orchid this Spring
Yesterday I spent an enjoyable morning searching for orchids with friends. We found many Greenhoods of varying types, and many more leaves or buds indicating that a number of species were about to burst into flower – Spider Orchid, Sun Orchid and Waxlip Orchid among them. Try as we might, we didn’t find one of … Continue reading The First Waxlip Orchid this Spring
More orchids in flower
It is amazing how much more I can see when I have a knowledgeable guide to point out the tiny Australian Native Orchids in flower. I must have walked past some of the tiny mosquito orchids hundreds of times without noticing they were in flower. My friend B.J., who is an orchid enthusiast visited today, … Continue reading More orchids in flower
Nodding Greenhoods Are Emerging
It’s fantastic to see the Nodding Greenhoods emerging again. This was the first species of Australian Native Orchid I had ever seen. When we first moved in they were flowering, in large patches right across our property. Hopefully they will do the same this year, but so far we have a few scattered along … Continue reading Nodding Greenhoods Are Emerging
November Wildflowers: Part 1
The last month of Spring seems to be the peak flowering period for Australian native plants that grow around here. In November they were the most spectacular, as well as the most plentiful. Leading into this month, rainfall had been good, the dam was full, and the ground moist. The late Spring sun shone down … Continue reading November Wildflowers: Part 1
Playing Detective: Rainfall, Kangaroos, and the Lack of Native Flowers
Being new to this area, I don’t have a history of seasonal changes. What’s normal for these parts? I simply don’t know. When we arrived here in August 2012, the land abounded with native flowers, including ten species of native orchid flowering at one time. This continued in early and mid Spring, then as the … Continue reading Playing Detective: Rainfall, Kangaroos, and the Lack of Native Flowers
October Wildflowers – Part 1
Colourful flowers, including some Native Orchids caught my uneducated eye in October, as I began to investigate the bushland a bit more closely. Wax-lip Orchid (Orcidaceae Glossodia Major) The beautiful colour and form of the Wax-lip Orchid made them highly visible against the greens, yellows and whites of almost everything surrounding them. Dillwynia Many different … Continue reading October Wildflowers – Part 1
September Wildflowers – A Beginning
Helen commented on A Family of Four, reflecting on the way kangaroos were affecting the number of wild flowers in South Australia. This has inspired me to go back and keep a month by month record of the native flowers I have photographed since we moved in. This will build into an index of flowers … Continue reading September Wildflowers – A Beginning
What a difference a little rain makes!
We haven’t had a lot of rain, but in the last few weeks, we’ve had scattered showers here and there over a number of days. Measured in millimetres, it wasn’t very much, but measured in newly growing native plants in the bushland, it has been extremely valuable water in our crunchy dry bushland. For a … Continue reading What a difference a little rain makes!
Taunting Kookaburras: Photographing our environment
Every night, just when the light is too low to capture them on film, I hear kookaburras laughing in the trees. It sounds like they are taunting me because try as I might, I simply can’t get a good photo of one. During the day, the kookaburras call from neighbouring properties, or the opposite end … Continue reading Taunting Kookaburras: Photographing our environment
Waxlip Orchid (Glossodia major)
In mid-October we had a few Waxlip Orchids flowering. They seem to be solitary, just one here and there, but their beauty certainly captures my attention when I walk past one. I’m still a novice when it comes to native Australian wildflowers, so I rely heavily on references. The one I am using to identify … Continue reading Waxlip Orchid (Glossodia major)
A quick tour of our bush habitat
We are very fortunate to have friends who know much more than we do about the native plants on our land. It turns out that our property is rich in native orchids and native lillies. A couple of weeks ago, we had 6 species of native orchid in flower, and another six to ten which … Continue reading A quick tour of our bush habitat
Fifteen Acres 