18/09/2017

After breaking camp we head through Goomalling to our first planned stop, Cunderdin Hill lookout. Lots of broken glass and pink everlastings with blue cornflowers thrown in, were the only finds. We made our way down to town centre and visited the famous Ettamogah Pub for lunch.

Cunderdin Hill Lookout

Cunderdin Hill Lookout

Cunderdin

 After lunch we head off towards Quairading, however we notice a sign for Toapin Weir (Featured Image) so decide to check it out. What an amazing hidden gem this is. Great granite outcrop to explore, flushing toilets, fresh water supply, gas BBQ and picnic tables. We would have stayed here the night had it not been so early in the day.

Now off to explore for orchids with our first find being some spent Prasophyllum gracile complex orchids closely followed by some donkey orchids. Location would suggest them to be Western wheatbelt donkey orchid (Diuris brachyscapa). 

Past it’s prime. By the length of the Lateral sepals appears to be a Little laughing leek orchid

Rounded to elongated petals

Mostly found East of the Albany Highway between York, Tenterden and Ravensthorpe

Next up we start finding Sun orchids that have yet to open which is frustrating given our long wait in Charles Darwin Reserve. However we finally stumble across some that have opened. The Granite sun orchid (Thelymitra petrophila) which blooms August to November from Mullewa to South Australia was a sight for strained eyes.

Distinctive column with a smooth, yellow or purple crested mid-lobe and white tufted lateral lobes

Up to 10 blue, purple or pink flowers

Size of plant compared to iPhone

Flowers 10 to 20 mm wide

 Much better specimens of the Little laughing leek orchid (Prasophyllum gracile) including single plants to small clumps of plants were found on the walk back to the Triton.

In good seasons plants are often found in clumps

Found in shallow soil pockets on inland granite outcrops

Up to 40 flowers per plant

Fused lateral sepal with elongated tips

Now we head off for our over night stay location which we have not decided upon just yet.. How unusual for us.. NOT. We bypassed Quairading instead driving through Dangin and south past Lake Mears to Tutanning Nature Reserve, located in the Dutarning Range. Totally unaware if any suitable camping site would be found we headed West into the reserve and on the drive in we spied some Cowslip orchids (Caladenia flava subsp. flava). However as light was fading fast, given it was after 5pm, we didn’t stop to take photos as we wanted to find our overnight stop first.  By chance we came across a wonderful cleared site, which must have been some sort of farm or townsite, now abandoned. We quickly set up camp then went exploring. First up we both came across more Cowslips.

Found by Deb

Found by Mike

Short, stiffly spreading petals and sepals

Regularly in pairs

Next orchid found by Deb was a Blue china orchid (Cyanicula gemmata), which flower August to early November in a range that stretches from Kalbarri to Israelite Bay.  My next orchid on the other hand was an Ant orchid (Caladenia roei). We then quickly moved to each others location to grab some photos.

Also called Clown orchid, man orchid and jack-in-the-box.

Mike’s find.

Short , horizontally spreading petals and sepals

Single, short, broad, flattened leaf

40 to 150mm high

Deb’s photo

Also found were Sugar orchids (Ericksonella saccharata) . Light is fading fast so we make our way back to camp when we stumble across another Blue china orchid.

Small tri-lobed labellum

Flattened white labellum

Short, horizontally spreading petals and sepals

Mauve-blue to purple flowers 20 to 50mm across

Short, spreading petals and sepals

Seven species found for the day