03/09/2017

After a great night catching up around the camp fire we wake to a beautiful spring morning. After breakfast we pack up camp then go for a wander around our campsite where we come across a few Ant orchids (Caladenia roei). Then we walk back towards Coarin Rock, which Richard and I climbed late afternoon yesterday, to show Deb the donkey orchids we found. However before this a fellow camper directs our attention to a lone spider orchid. NEW FIND – It appears to be a Drooping spider orchid (Caladenia radialis) as the petals and both lateral and dorsal sepals all droop and the labellum is smooth margined. This orchid flowers August to early December and range from Northampton to Jerramungup.

Smooth-margined labellum

Great little nest of ants

Drooping petals and sepals, both dorsal and lateral

Prominently red-striped, shortly-fringed or smooth-margined labellum

Two dense bands of red or cream calli

Past the ablutions on the track to the rock we find the patch with many Western wheatbelt donkey orchids (Diuris sp. ‘western wheatbelt’)and then backtrack to the Tritons for our drive to Kokerbin hill.

Twins

Great herd of donkeys

Kokerbin Hill / Kokerbin Rock is claimed to be the third largest monolith in Australia, so was a definite stop. We took a walk around the northern face to Devils Marbles and  found some Sugar orchids (Ericksonella saccharata), Ant orchids, Donkey orchids and a lone Hairy-stemmed snail orchid (Pterostylis sp ‘inland’)

Petals and lateral sepals form crucifix

Short, spreading petals and sepals

Green and white flower 10-20mm long

Rounded to elongated petals

Time to head north so we make tracks to Kellerberrin and have lunch at the lookout. A quick check around located more Western wheatbelt donkey orchids and other donkey orchids I cannot identify plus some Lemon-scented sun orchids (Thelymitra antennifera).

Brighter yellow with purple markings

Pale yellow flowers

Species name “antennifera” – to bear antennae

Time is slipping away so we head further north and pulled over to an area of woodland on the off chance of finding some orchids. The area was signposted Forsyth Woodland and it proved to be great off chance location. Deb, Richard and myself all head off in different directions to see who would find the first orchids. Deb won by finding some Blood spider orchids (Caladenia filifera). I am confident with their identification, this time. NEW FIND

Long pendulous petals and lateral sepals

Small blood-red labellum with serrate to dentate fringe segments and 2 rows of red calli

Blood-red flowers 30 to 50mm across

Uniformly blood-red flowers

Next up Deb comes across a small Mottled donkey orchid (Diuris suffusa) which flowers late August to late September in the shires of Trayning, Wyalkatchem, Koorda and Mount Marshall. NEW FIND  I find a lone Pink candy orchid (Caladenia hirta) and Deb finds a lone Fringed mantis orchid (Caladenia falcata).

Often reflexed petals, a broad reflexed dorsal sepal, narrow, reflexed, crossed lateral sepals

Short spreading petals and sepals

Single, erect, hairy leaf 100 to 200 mm long by 5 to 15 mm wide

Further Donkey orchids and Pink candy orchids groupings were found followed by a grouping of Ant orchids and a sole Sugar orchid.

Widespread, clumping orchid

Crucifix shape adopted by the petals and lateral sepals

Small flowered donkey orchid 200 to 350 mm high

Single, erect, hairy leaf and up to 3 greenish-yellow and red flowers

Found between Kalbarri and Israelite Bay

Up to 6 cream to pale yellow , brown marked flowers.

Short spreading petals and lateral sepals.

Many more Fringed mantis orchids in better shape than the first were found as was a patch of very tall Hairy-stemmed snail orchids.

Narrow petals and up-swept, narrowly-clubbed lateral sepals

50 to 150 mm high with a rosette of leaves 20 – 50 mm across

United dorsal sepal and petals forms a hood over the column, erect, narrow-ended lateral sepals

Greenish-yellow, red-tipped labellum with 4 or more rows of deep red calli.

Single, erect, hairy leaf 100 – 200 mm long by 5 – 15 mm wide

Green and white flower 10 – 20 mm long by 5 – 8 mm across

So Forsyth Woodland proved a very fruitful stop with 7 orchid species found. Sunset is looming and we have yet to settle on where to camp overnight. Our first choice, Durokoppin Nature Reserve was not suitable, so we headed north, passing through Trayning and made tracks for Marshall Rocks near Bencubbin. This was a great spot with only one other camper in residence, so we set camp for the night. I decide to quickly check the rock out for any orchids and only find some Hairy-stemmed snail orchids, as the rock and surrounding area was very weedy.

Growing in a bed of moss

Rosette 20 – 50 mm across

Erect, narrow-ended lateral sepals

A great 3rd day with 10 species found.