27/08/2017

Sunday morning fishing planned, however after a sleep-in we decide to head out to Helm’s Arboretum to check on the orchids instead. Our Southern Curly Locks is still yet to bloom so we resign ourselves to the fact we will miss it this season as we head out on our 3 week road trip in 3 days.

Next we check out the location we find our Western tiny blue orchids (Cyanicula aperta) and we were rewarded with both regular blue and some rarer white flowers.

Closer shot of white variant

A white variation

Front on shot

Family shot

Let me give you a hand

In the adjoining plot I came across a first for me. A Grass-leafed spider orchid (Caladenia graminifolia) which flowers August to September and ranges from Mt Manypeaks to Israelite Bay. I thought is was a Green spider orchid however on checking my Orchid books it proved to be a Hoffman spider orchid due to the prominently clubbed sepals and petals plus the long thin fringe segments on the labellum.

Profile shot with his buddy yet to bloom

Close-up of labellum showing large red calli

Shot showing the short clubbed petals and sepals

Straight clubbed dorsal sepal

Also in the same plot we located some Snail orchids and King spider orchids. I will go out on a limb and name the snail orchid as Ravensthorpe snail orchid (Pterostylis sp. ‘Ravensthorpe’) as they are found between Stirling Ranges and Esperance and flower August to September. The spider orchid is our local Esperance king spider orchid (Caladenia decora).

Profile shot

Small group or hood of snails

Rosette

Long erect sepals

3 stem leaves

Bloated appearance

Close-up

full flower head shot

Moving along to another plot we locate some White spider orchids. I believe there are two subspecies of the Caladenia longicauda species found. First being the Esperance white spider orchid (Caladenia longicauda subsp. crassa) which has short spreading petals and lateral sepals, flowers August to early September and ranges from Jerramungup to Cape Arid National Park. Second being the Southern white spider orchid (Caladenia longicauda subsp. australora) which has long pendulous petals and lateral sepals, flowers September to October and is found Millar’s Point to Fitzgerald River National Park. Slightly east of recorded location however it is the only White spider orchid that comes close to Esperance with long pendulous petals and sepals. The “Florabase” record 15359 includes the Esperance Local Government boundary and Esperance Plains region in it’s lists of locations, so I am confident with my classification.

Spreading petals and sepals

Short spreading petals and sepals

Large white labellum with four rows of calli and narrow fringe segments

White labellum with long narrow fringe segments

Long pendulous petals and lateral sepals

Side view of long pendulous petals and lateral sepals

We move onto another known location to find our little Zebra orchid (Caladenia cairnsiana) and we were not disappointed. These little fellows are found between Esperance and Lancelin and flower August to early November.

Red-striped labellum with a central band of deep-purple calli and a glandular apex

Short, hanging petals and lateral sepals which clasp the ovary

Single leaf, hanging petals ans lateral sepals

Close by the Zebra orchids were Dwarf zebra orchids (Caladenia pachychila) which are distinguished from their big brother by their petals and sepals not clasping the ovary. They still hang but do not clasp the stem.

Red striped labellum with dense central band of calli and glandular apex

Single, erect, hairy leaf

Hanging petals and lateral sepals

Another find nearby was a very white White spider orchid. Unable to ID this one but it was big and beautiful.

Such large and beautiful flowers

Hardly any colour other than slight red to the labellum fringe and dark red column

Very long petals and sepals, both dorsal and lateral

Next we move to the snail hood plot to see what is still flowering. Our first find were some more Western tiny blue orchids and then we find the snail hood. Snail orchids of unknown identity due to wrinkled leaves.

Prominently

Horizontally spreading petals and lateral sepals

Rosette of wrinkled leaves, 3 stem leaves, bloated appearance and short lateral sepals

Bloated appearance and short lateral sepals

Short lateral sepals

Rosette of wrinkled leaves

Size comparison to my index finger tip

Our last stop of the day was near the entrance to the reserve and we find the good old faithful Cowslip orchid (Caladenia flava subsp. flava). As usual Helm’s Arboretum didn’t let us down.

Close neighbours