So, we awake in Yealering on the Sunday after enjoying the Regatta on the lake the previous day. We are in the local caravan park with friends Sandy, Noel and Richard. After breakfast we all pack up our respective campers and make our separate way home. For us this will be an excuse to go orchid hunting. Fancy that!!!
I do not have a record in my little black book, and I am writing this record more than 12mths after the fact, so my memory fails me. So, this record will record locations and finds only, with no commentary, which some may find refreshing.
Green spider orchid
(Caladenia falcata)
200 – 400mm in height
Flowers – Late Aug to Oct
Location – Wongan Hills to Jerramungup
Granite sun orchid
(Thelymitra petrophila)
100 – 350mm in height
Flowers – Aug to Nov
Location – Mullewa to South Australia
Small flowered donkey orchid
(Diuris porrifolia)
150 – 350mm in height
Flowers – Late July – Sept
Location – Moora to Albany
Elbow orchid
(Spiculaea ciliata)
100-180mm in height
Flowers – Oct to Jan
Location – Kalbarri to Grasspatch
EIGHTY SIX GATE ROAD – UNNAMED NATURE RESERVE
Little laughing leek orchid
(Prasophyllum gracile)
60 – 200mm in height
Flowers – Jul to Oct
Location – Shark Bay to Eyre
Granite sun orchid
(Thelymitra petrophila)
Leaf – Narrow, 4-6mm in width
Colour – Blue, purple or pink
Cowslip orchid
(Caladenia flava subsp. flava)
100 – 250mm in height
Flowers – Jul to early Dec
Location – Geraldton to Israelite Bay
Green spider orchid
(Caladenia falcata)
Another common name – Fringed mantis orchid
Leaf – Single, erect, hairy leaf 100-200mm in length
Elbow orchid
(Spiculatea ciliata)
Habitat – In the north sandy soils over sandstone, In the south soil pockets on granite
Leaf – Fleshy, green and red infused leaf, which is shriveled at time of flowering
Blue china orchid
(Cyanicula gemmata)
40 – 150mm in height
Flowers – Aug to early Nov
Location – Kalbarri and Israelite Bay
Harrismith / Dudinin area
Granite sun orchid
(Thelymitra petrophila)
Neendaling
Green spider orchid
(Caladenia falcata)
Shy sun orchid
(Thelymitra graminea)
150 – 350mm in height
Flowers – Oct to Nov
Location – Perth to Esperance
Little laughing leek orchid
(Prasophyllum gracile)
Common mignonette orchid
(Microtis media subsp. media)
Newdegate
Small mantis orchid
(Caladenia attingens subsp. gracillima)
170 – 350mm in height
Flowers – Aug to early Oct
Location – Jerramungup to Israelite Bay
Little laughing leek orchid
(Prasophyllum gracile)
You can tell we are moving into the last few months of the Western Australian orchid season as we only located 9 species over multiple inland locations. The Southwest corner has a much longer season than both the inland and Southeastern areas.
WA Orchid Adventures 