September 2017 – WA Orchid Adventures

26/08/2017

Today with friends Warren and Tammy we venture out to Rose’s Beach for a day of fishing, however after arriving and setting up in the far western corner I decide to go exploring to see if I could find any orchids.

I walked to the west end of the beach and climbed up the steep coastal dune for an amazing view.

From up on top the coastal cliffs.

Blue upon blue

After taking some photos of the view I make my way upwards through the thick vegetation. Under this vegetation I spy some Snail orchids. From the location and appearance these appear to be Coastal snail orchid (Pterostylis sp. ‘coastal snail’) which flower July to August and range from Bremer Bay to Israelite Bay. It was a small hood with half a dozen or so plants with many more non flowering rosettes.

Bloated appearance is a distinguishing feature

Rosette shot

Main man in the hood

Nothing more found on the way up, however once on the limestone ridge above the beach I stumble across some Pink fairy orchids (Caladenia latifolia) which are the first for the season. Identified by the underside of the leaf being green. These awesome little orchids flower August to November and range from Kalbarri to Israelite Bay.

Nice triple header

Habitat shot

Standing tall …Well 100mm tall

Coastal sunshine

This orchid flower was the size of my index finger tip

I then headed east along the limestone ridge and only came across 2 or 3 more Pink Fairy orchids before finding a way back down to the beach.

Two orchids found within 1 hr is not too bad especially given the very coastal environment searched.

19/8/2017 On a tip from our friend Deb Witt we are heading north of Gibson to check out what lies within 50km of home. However first we have our standard fully cooked breakfast at the Esperance Bird & Animal Park and then our obligatory check of Helms Arboretum. Just past the large green log sign at the entrance we find some Esperance King spider orchids (Caladenia decora) of various colours.

Twins

Colour variants

Close-up shot

We also checked out our Curly Locks but it still has a way to go before flowering. Fingers crossed it is still there when we return from our September holidays.

Turning east from the Coolgardie-Esperance Hwy we park opposite a patch of scrub with a small lake. Just off the road where we parked Deb spots the first orchid of the day. Donkey orchids are found everywhere on the North roadside verge. Unable to verify exact species as the location does not match any in the books. Possible two different types found as one is duller yellow with hanging sepals and the other is brighter yellow with re-curved and crossed sepals.

Slight profile shot

Crossed sepals

Straight hanging sepals

Twins

Duller yellow

Front on shot . Large petals and crossed sepals

Re-curved sepals

We cross the road to the lake side and start looking around when Deb calls me over as she has found a Hare orchid (Leporella fimbriata). This distraction nearly had me walking into a huge Golden orb spider (Nephila edulis). The poor old Hare orchid was well and truly finished for the season.

Triple header way past it’s prime

Nephila edulis

More searching and we turn up more Donkey orchids and the first Red beaks (Pyrorchis nigricans) sprouting from the many leaves spotted. In fact there were so many Red beak and Hare orchid leaves around you sometimes could not help stepping on them.

Pyrorchis nigricans

Bright sunshine

Flower just poking through

Flower squeezing itself out

Could be a reflection in a mirror

Full orchid shot

The first Pterostylis orchids of the day were also found. Banded greenhood (Pterostylis vittata) and Jug orchid , plus of course some more Donkey orchids.

Only 1 flower head still green

Still yet to fully open, looking like a stork or bird

Beautiful big petals and this crossed lateral sepals

Growing near the rushes

Quite a tall specimen

Looking under a tallish shrub I notice a patch of Banded greenhoods so make my way under to get a photo. Telling Deb of my find I glance down and there is this very small white coloured orchid. It happened to be a small Sugar orchid (Ericksonella saccharata) which was partially opened. I grabbed some photos and then moved over to take some Banded greenhood photos whilst Deb took some of the Sugar orchid. This little orchid actually fully opened over a period of a few minutes so my next shots were of it fully open.

Just opening up

Ericksonella saccharata

Deb taking a photo on her iPhone. Great size comparison

Fully opened over 4 minutes

Pic below is of the Banded Greenwood I mentioned above that lead me to the sugar orchid.

Still looking fresh unlike his nearby friends

We then made our way back to the Triton and moved further West and turned North along the railway line. We parked up and had a bite to eat before venturing out for another hunt. Deb spied another Sugar orchid and I took a photo of the habitat it was found in and what we get up to taking these photos.

Deb down n dirty getting a photo

Full flower shot showing thin leaf

Another flower out in the open this time

Another Red beak sprouting, lone Snail orchid and Dancing spider (Caladenia discoidea) are found in this area, before we head over the railway line.

Another hybrid ???

Twins emerging

Possibly a Brittle snail orchid.. Very small rosette

Immediately we find what we thought was another sugar orchid, however on returning home and checking the photos on our computer we notice it is in fact a Western tiny blue orchid (Cyanicula aperta). These are found August to early October from Dumbleyung to Mount Ragged. We now laugh that we were so blinded to the fact they were two very different orchids, just both so small, so just appeared to be variants in colour only.

Cyanicula aperta

Full length shot

This side of the railway line proved very fruitful with many orchids found. Brittle snail orchids (Pterostylis timothyi), more Western tiny blue orchids, more Redbeaks emerging, further Dancing orchids and even more Donkey orchids.

Western tiny blue orchid and Brittle Snail orchid

Much paler hence confusing it with a Sugar orchid

Standing tall n strong . Not so his neighbour

Stalked pointed leaves to the rosette

Nice full length shot , growing at edge of road

Showing the thick calli

Full flower shot

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Time to head south so we make tracks west until a road heading south is found. At a place where the road had been straightened we take the old track and stop for lunch. Deb spies two Dancing spider orchids and finally a Jug orchid (Pterostylis recurva) fully opened. I locate some more Donkey orchids then on the other side of this small triangular piece of bush I find some beautiful Esperance king spider orchids. More Donkey orchids found then onward further south.

Very stiffly held petals and sepals

Little tuck under with the lateral sepals

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Profile shot

Second flower juts out from the main stem

Profile shot

Looking into the jug

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We stop as the track turns east to a farmers paddock and check around as we can see more Donkey orchids from the Triton. After looking around only Donkeys found here.

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The track itself does head straight ahead it just reduces in size and standard. Very weedy now so we cross over the creek at a granite ford. A little further along a small patch opens up to the right, so we decide to check it out. A little patch of yellow catches Deb’s eye and she calls me over as she has found a season first Common bee orchid (Diuris decrementa) which flowers from August to November and is found from North of Perth to East of Esperance.

Diuris decrementa

We finally make it back to the road and head south stopping a few more times but only finding a single Cowslip orchid.

Texture shot

Lonely fellow

At the intersection we make a final stop and cross the road to have on more search for anything. Deb calls me over as she finds some Esperance King spider orchids. Now the word some is a little bit understated … There are so many it is impossible to count them.