12/08/2025
A local orchid hotspot is the granite headland we call Dempster Head. We also refer to it as the Rotary Lookout for a very obvious reason!!
It being a beautiful, cloudless, sunny winters day, what better way to spent it than searching for the usual orchid suspects.
The first orchid found is the Mosquito orchid (Cyrtostylis robusta) which flower between June and August over a southerly range from Perth to Israelite Bay.
I located my orchids flowering under overhanding bushes on the walk trail edges. The ground hugging circular leaves grow in large numbers and are what you first notice. Then on a closer inspection you discover a few flowering specimens.
Snail orchids are also found scattered around the site. The exact species is difficult to name due to both Pterostylis voigtii and P. meridionalis named as growing in this region.
Both these orchids are smaller, grow in shallow soil pockets on granite outcrops, have bloated appearance, flared petals and slightly thickened lateral sepals.
Either they are the Eastern granite snail orchid or the Southern thick-sepaled snail orchid.
I have named as I believe them to be, however, any assistance in identifying these little guys would be appreciated.
Next up is an orchid that appears to have a restricted range in the Esperance region. The Spectacled donkey orchid (Diuris conspicillata) is listed as growing in shallow soil pockets on coastal granite outcrops in the Esperance area, which Dempster Head is an example of.
They get their name from the dark markings on the inner part of the labellum lateral lobes, which gives an impression of wearing glasses.
They are found scattered over Dempster Head usually in exposed areas but protected by a surrounding prickly shrub.
Another orchid with round ground hugging leaves is found, also growing underneath over hanging bushes.
The Crystal helmet orchid (Corysanthes limpida) is found from Walpole to Israelite Bay growing in sandy soils in coastal woodlands and shrublands.
When you come across the leaves you could mistake them for Mosquito orchids however the flowers are much shorter until they are fertilised, at which time the stem can extend up to 300mm in height.
Similarly to the Mosquito orchids, many leaves may be found but usually only a handful will produce flowers.
Not too bad a day with finding some orchids. Amazingly all orchids found belonged to a different genus.
Pterostylis, Cyrtostylis, Diuris and Corysanthes.
Amazingly I am posting this exactly 1 year later. Today however is not a beautiful fine sunny winters day, but a cold overcast winters day, hence I have time indoors to complete this post.
