Well, I am writing this post more than 12mths after the actual event, so the details of each location are patchy at best however the photos of the orchids found are the true record, so not all is lost.
SPRINGDALE NATURE RESERVE
Purple enamel orchid (Elythranthera brunonis)
Cowslip orchid (Caladenia flava subsp. flava)
White spider orchid (Caladenia longicauda)
Hybrid sun orchid (Thelymitra antennifera x ?)
Wheatbelt spider orchid (Caladenia x cala)
Common bee orchid (Diuris decrementa)
Lemon-scented sun orchid (Thelymitra antennifera)
MUNGLINUP NATURE RESERVE
Cowslip orchid (Caladenia flava subsp. flava)
Zebra orchid (Caladenia cairnsiana)
Shy sun orchid (Thelymitra graminea)
Cowslip orchid (Caladenia flava sp.)
Stark white spider orchid (Caladenia longicauda subsp. eminens)
Esperance king spider orchid (Caladenia decora)
Common bee orchid (Diuris decrementa)
Purple enamel orchid (Elythranthera brunonis)
EAST NAERNUP NATURE RESERVE
Western tiny blue orchid (Cyanicula aperta)
Purple enamel orchid (Elythranthera brunonis)
Small mantis orchid (Caladenia attingens subsp. gracillima)
White spider orchid (Caladenia longicauda)
KUKENARUP MEMORIAL
Dancing spider orchid (Caladenia discoidea)
Common dragon orchid (Caladenia barbarossa)
Purple enamel orchid (Elythranthera brunonis)
?? Spider orchid (Caladenia sp.)
Red beaks (Pyrorchis nigricans)
Lemon-scented sun orchid (Thelymitra antennifera)
Cowslip orchid (Caladenia flava subsp. flava)
White spider orchid (Caladenia longicauda)
Frog greenhood (Pterostylis sargentii)
Hybrid spider orchid (Caladenia x)
KUNDIP NATURE RESERVE
Western tiny blue orchid (Cyanicula aperta)
Frog greenhood (Pterostylis sargentii)
Dwarf bird orchid (Pterostylis galgula)
JERDACUTTUP ROAD (NR WA43060)
Western tiny blue orchid (Cyanicula aperta)
Dwarf bird orchid (Pterostylis galgula)
Dancing spider orchid (Caladenia discoidea)
JERDACUTTUP
Zebra orchid (Caladenia cairnsiana)
Purple enamel orchid (Elythranthera brunonis)
Dancing spider orchid (Caladenia discoidea)
Small mantis orchid (Caladenia attingens subsp. gracillima)
Red beaks (Pyrorchis nigricans)
Common mignonette orchid (Microtis media subsp. media)
Well seems it was a very productive day, given the number of photos I had to choose from. It has also dawned on me that we actually went West to visit the Ravensthorpe Wildflower Show. The visit to the show was completed between the East Naernup Nature Reserve and Kukenarup Memorial locations.
After an early breakfast we head out to our first location to continue our orchid hunt. Some of the first orchids found are still covered in dew, which exposes the cobwebs as well.
JERRAMUNGUP CEMETERY
Dew covered CobwebBanded greenhood (Pterostylis vittata)Western wheatbelt donkey orchid (Diuris brachyscapa)Green spider orchid (Caladenia falcata)Jug orchid (Pterostylis recurva)Cowslip orchid (Caladenia flava subsp. flava)Little frog greenhood (Pterostylis occulta)?? snail orchid (Pterostylis sp.)Stark white spider orchid (Caladenia longicauda subsp. eminens)Awesome cluster of spiders?? spider orchid (Caladenia sp.)Hybrid – C. barbarossa x C. spHybrid – C. barbarossa x C. spHybrid – C. barbarossa x C. sp
Well, I glad we persevered at this location given we found nothing in the first 5 minutes. The hybrid found was our first with a Dragon orchid and the numbers of white spiders was amazing.
However, we must keep moving but we only make it some way up the SouthCoast Highway before pulling into Jacup Highway Park, a rest stop near to the Fitzgerald River crossing. Seems a bit overrun with weeds, but we make the effort and are rewarded big time.
JACUP HIGHWAY PARK
Size comparison of flowers Size comparison of leafEsperance white spider orchid (Caladenia longicauda subsp. crassa) or Stark white spider orchid (subsp. eminens) Wheatbelt spider orchid (Caladenia x cala)Wheatbelt spider orchid (Caladenia x cala)Pink candy orchid (Caladenia hirta subsp. rosea)Sugar orchid (Ericksonella saccharata)Lazy spider orchid (Caladenia multiclavia)Green spider orchid (Caladenia falcata)Short-sepaled spider orchid (Caladenia brevisura)Cowslip orchid (Caladenia flava subsp. flava)
After some amazing finds, we jump back into the Triton and head east. We decide to check out another new location and pull over at Koornong Nature Reserve. Some of our finds may be outside the Nature Reserve boundary as the scrubland extends further along the roadside than we were originally aware of.
Koornong Nature Reserve
Jug orchid (Pterostylis recurva)Western tiny blue orchid (Cyanicula aperta)Small mantis orchid (Caladenia attingens subsp. gracillima)King spider orchid (Caladenia pectinata)
Four species found, so not too bad a spot. Worthy of a re-visit another time. Next stop is further along the highway. Here we pull into an old bitumen dump and venture into the surrounding scrub. Orchids found 🙂
It is now way past lunch time, so we head to Munglinup Roadhouse for their amazing burger. Near the roadhouse I find a nice spider orchid and take a photo, which ends up being the last taken for the day.
Esperance white spider orchid (Caladenia longicauda subsp. crassa)
Our 2021 orchid hunting road trip has come to an end as we head home from Munglinup. As usual it has been amazing to find so many beautiful orchids in the wonderful West Australian bush and woodlands. Many old favourites found as well as some new species, which is always very exciting. Quite a few hybrids found this time as well as a few lutea or polychromic variants.
Whilst on a fishing trip to the beaches of Cape le Grand National Park I take some time to check out the vegetation behind the dunes to see if I am lucky enough to find any orchids. In a patch of shallow soil overlaying limestone rock, which was trickling with water, I was lucky to find some Purple enamel orchids (Elythranthera brunonis). I also found close by a Yellow sun orchid yet to open and a large leaf from unknown orchid.
Found around 200m behind the high tide mark in a shallow dune system
Can have up to 3 flowers per plant
Missed getting a shot when this one was open
Possible orchid leaves
03/11/2018
Next fishing trip is to a place named Margaret Cove, which is west of Esperance in the Stokes National Park. Again I decide to talk a walk, however this time back along the track to see if I can find any late season orchids flowering. All I find are some Common mignonette orchids (Microtis media) growing on the very edge of the track. I check out burnt banksia scrub but nothing else is found.
Hood-like dorsal sepal
Protected from the elements under larger scrub
Up to 100 flowers per inflorescence
11/11/2018
Remembrance day and we make a visit to Helms Arboretum to see if anything different is in flower out there. Only found some Common mignonette orchids and lots of the South African orchid (Disa bracteata) which is an introduced species that appears to occur in habitats that are disturbed or degraded from Geraldton to Israelite Bay during October and November. All the Sun orchids had finished for the season.
Flowers open all the way to the tip
Very distinct inflorescence
18/11/2018
The final orchid hunt occurred on the drive back from Perth. Nearly 4pm in the afternoon we pull into our special place in the East Naernup Nature Reserve on Mills Road near Munglinup. This little patch of bush we search and the first find are more Common mignonette orchids, which seems to be the only thing left flowering. Whilst grabbing a photo of one of these orchids, something catches my eye. Finally something different is found late in the season. A very poor specimen of the Ravensthorpe rufous greenhood (Pterostylis leptochila) is found, which flowers late September to November in a restricted range, from Ballinup River to Munglinup.
Little hood formed by dorsal sepal
Green, olive or brown and white flowers
As it was just past 4pm and the sun was shining brightly we decide to spread out our search. This proved fortuitous as we discovered a much better rufous greenhood specimen as well as other mignonette orchids.
Curled lateral sepals
Cupped, narrow-ended lateral sepals
Rosette withered at time of flowering
Little visitor to one of the flowers
Standing up to 250mm in height
This did prove to be our last orchid hunt of the 2018 season.
Roll on March 2019 when the hunt commences for the 2019 season.
WA Orchid Adventures 