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Terrestrial orchids of south eastern Australia


Sean Spence

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Below are a number of images of Australian terrestrial orchids that I have encountered during many field trips mainly around the state of Victoria over the past few years. I'll start with my favourite group, Oligochaetochilus (or rufa group Pterostylis if you prefer). On this group you'll notice the small triggered labellum that imitates a small insect. These look very much like little beetles. This group favours incredibly dry habitats, often desert-like and flowering occurs at the end of spring, after the rosette of leaves have dried and shrivelled. They are very difficult to find as the flowers are well camouflaged.

O. pusillis a tiny species.

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O. aciculiformis

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O. squamatus

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O. hamatus

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O. despectans- very rare and very low to the ground.

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O. linguus- in southern NSW last weekend

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O. boormanii- incredibly difficult to get the whole flower of this species in focus.

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O. maximus- photographed yesterday.

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O. setiferus

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O. woollsii- the best of the best and one of the rarest in Victoria. Only around 100 plants in the state and we were lucky enough to find one of them.

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and yes, I do grow one species, O. petrosus from southern NSW.

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Next up, the remainder of the greenhood group.

Thanks for looking.

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Pterostylis decurva

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Pterostylis aff. decurva

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Pterostylis coccina

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Pterostylis revoluta

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Pterostylis atrans

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Pterostylis robusta

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Pterostylis truncata

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Pterostylis grandiflorum

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Pterostylis nutans

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Pterostylis curta

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Pterostylis nana

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Pterostylis foliata

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Pterostylis pedunculata

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Pterostylis cucullata

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Pterostylis falcata

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Pterostylis alpina

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Pterostylis plumosa

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Pterostylis tasmanica

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Pterostylis parviflora

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Pterostylis smaragdyna

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Pterostylis macilentus

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Pterostylis melogrammus

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Pterostylis cycnocephala

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Diuris punctata

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Diuris callitrophila

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Diuris orientis

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Diuris pardina

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Diuria aff. pardina

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Diuris sulphurea

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Diuris chryseopsis

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  • 2 weeks later...

jp- Yes, these mostly produce the same type of tubers that you will find in European species, some, such as the Diuris orientis produce long spaghetti-like tubers.

The next installment-

The flying duck orchid (Caleana major)-

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Its little brother, the small duck orchid (Paracaleana minor)-

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Their rarer cousin (Paracaleana disjuncta)-

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Red Beaks (Pyrorchis nigricans)-

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Brown Beaks (Lyperanthus suaveolens)-

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Parsons Bands (Eriochilus cucullatus)-

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The beard orchids, starting with Calochilus robertsonii-

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Calochilus paludosus-

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Calochilus campestris-

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The helmet orchids, firstly Corybas incurvus-

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Corybas hispidus-

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Corybas diemenicus-

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Corybas fordhamii, along with emerging D. binata-

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Tall Mosquito orchid (Acianthus exsertus)-

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Small Mosquito orchid (Acianthus pusillus)-

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Autumn Bird orchid (Chiloglottis reflexa)-

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Saprophytic Hyacinth orchids, firstly Dipodium roseum-

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Dipodium variegatum-

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Plenty more to come yet.

Next, the Sun orchids-

Thelymitra megcalyptra

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Thelymitra antennifera

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And the natural hybrid of T. antennifera and T. megcalyptra- Thelymitra x macmillanii

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Thelymitra aristata

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Thelymitra arenaria

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Thelymitra flexuosa

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Thelymitra luteocilium

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Thelymitra cyanea

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Thelymitra rubra

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Thelymitra benthamiana

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The Leek orchids-

Prasophyllum hygrophilum

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Prasophyllum aff . fitzgeraldii

with pollinators

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Prasophyllum tadgellianum

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Prasophyllum odoratum

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Prasophyllum aff. odoratum

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Prasophyllum spicatum

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The Midge orchids-

Corunostylis morrisii

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Corunostylis ciliata

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The Potato orchids-

Gastrodia sesamoides

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Gastrodia procera

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The Onion orchids-

Microtis parviflora-

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Microtidium atratum

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The Waxlip orchid, Glossodia major

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Cyanicula caerulea

Typical

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Pale flowered

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Pheladenia deformis

Typical

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Pale flowered

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Petalochilus carneus

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Petalochilus fuscata

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Petalochilus pusilla

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Petalochilus aurantiaca

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Petalochilus catenatus

Pink form

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White form

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Stegostyla cucullata

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Stegostyla iridescens

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Stegostyla congesta

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Stegostyla gracilis

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Caladena latifolia

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Leptoceras menziesii

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South African Weed orchid, Disa bracteata

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and finally, the Spider orchids.

Arachnorchis toxochila

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Arachnorchis amoena, a rare species from only two known colonies in suburban Melbourne.

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Arachnorchis clavescens

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Arachnorchis rosella, like A. amoena very rare and known from only two colonies in suburban melbourne

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Arachnorchis tentaculata

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Arachnorchis versicolor

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Arachnorchis pumila, the rarest of them all. Known from only two individual plants that were rediscovered a few years back after assumed to be extinct for many decades.

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Arachnorchis cretacea

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Arachnorchis cruciformis

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A. cruciformis & cretacea

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Arachnorchis cardiochila

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with assassin bug

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Arachnorchis tesselata

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with pollinator

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Arachnorchis venusta

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Arachnorchis xanthochila, another rare species from central Victoria, only a few known populations of this one too.

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Arachnorchis fulva

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A. fulva antho free

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Typical and antho free

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Arachnorchis reticulata

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Arachnorchis clavigera

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Arachnorchis grampiana

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A. grampiana Antho free

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Arachnorchis oenochila

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Arachnorchis tensa

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Arachnorchis aff. fragrantissima

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Arachnorchis aff. orientalis

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Jonesiopsis filamentosa

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and that's all for now, until my next trip.

Probably should move onto the native CP images now.....

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