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DRAKAEA (Hammer orchids)

Named after Miss Drake, a botanical artist who drew orchids and other plants to assist taxonomists in England in the 1800's. This species bears an insectival labellum that is attached to a stem, which holds it aloft. This has an elastic hinge that can only be moved backwards where the broadly winged column carries the pollina and stigma. The elaborate labellum structure is not sensitive and needs considerable force to be moved. This force is applied be fast flying male wasps deceived by the resemblance to the flightless females and the orchids pheromones, which are similar to that which the female gives off when they are ready to mate. The male grasps what he believes to be a receptive female, overcomes the resistance of the elastic hinge and is catapulted backwards so that the back of his head is forced against the column. If he is carrying pollen, it is transferred to the stigma, or, alternatively, he receives a daub of pollen attached to his head for transfer to the next orchid he visits. A truly remarkable mechanism that is highly successful in fertilising the orchid and perpetuating the species. There are four named species, (Drakaea elastica, Drakaea glyptodon, Drakaea livida and Drakaea thynniphila.), five in manuscript awaiting validation under the 'code', and three hybrids. The species is presumed to have a one to one pollinating strategy where one insect type (wasp) pollinates one species and no other. However the presence of hybrids suggests otherwise. Ron Heberle. April 2003

 

Drakaea concolor, Murchison River, Aug 1980

Drakaea confluens, Dinninup, Nov 1982

 

Drakaea glyptodon, Bayonet Head, Albany, Sep 1987

Drakaea gracilis, Manjimup, Oct 1985

Drakaea isolata, Pingrup, Oct 1992

 

Drakaea isolata, Drakaea livida, Pingrup, Oct 1992

 

Drakaea micrantha, Drakaea thynniphila, Mt Barker, Oct 1982

Drakaea thynniphila, Drakaea elastica, Drakaea jeanensis, Drakaea glyptodon, Bakers Junction, Albany and Murchison River, Sep 1980

 

DRAKONORCHIS (Dragon orchids)

According to Hoffman and Brown (1998), the Dragon orchids were originally placed in Caladenia. Their labella are covered in long hairs, rather than calli and they have short, broad leaves which lie flat on the ground. There are at least 4 species, all confined to West Australia.

 

Drakonorchis barbarella, Kalbarri, Sep 1988

Drakonorchis barbarossa, Narrogin, Oct 1991

 

Possible hybrid Drakonorchis barbarossa x Caladenia eminens, Pallinup, Sep 1991

 

Possible hybrid Drakonorchis barbarossa x Caladenia falcata, Jerramungup, Oct 1995

Possible hybrid Drakonorchis barbarossa x Caladenia patersonii, Jerramungup, Sep 1984

 

ELYTHRANTHERA� (Enamel orchids)

The name Elythranthera is derived from the Greek 'elutron' and 'anthera' and refers to the column wing, which acts like a hood over the anther. The two recognized species of Elythrantheras are easily spotted in the wild by the glossy sheen on the sepals and petals, which tend to shine and appear to be made of porcelain, hence the common name of 'Enamel Orchids'. This unusual feature causes Elythrantheras to be very attractive, when seen in the bush. Elythrantheras are endemic to the Southwest of Western Australia where they are quite common and widespread. Fortunately, they are not endangered despite much land clearing in their range, which is from Kalbarri in the North, to East of Esperance on the South Coast. They are terrestrial orchids that, after flowering, become dormant during the hot summer months while the tubers survive below ground. Their growth begins again with the winter rains and flowering commences during the spring. The solitary leaf, about 10cm long, appears at the base of the stem. The leaf, stem and the margins of the petals & sepals, are covered in small, dark hairs. Elythranthera brunonis, the Purple Enamel Orchid, is usually taller, (to 30cm) than E. emarginata, (12-15cm) but has a much smaller flower. E. brunonis can have up to three flowers per stem that are around 2-3cm across. Elythranthera emarginata, the Pink Enamel Orchid, has flowers up to 5cm across and often has more flowers per stem than E. brunonis. There are also differences between the two species, in the way the labellum (lip) bends. Even though Elythranthera brunonis are purple and E. emarginata are pink, there have been Alba specimens of both species recorded, and also hybrids between the species. As mentioned before, the front of the sepals and petals as well as the lip, have an enamel like finish, the backs, however are quite different. The background colour on the rear of the flowers is much lighter with dark pink to purple spots all over. Although both species have much the same range, E. emarginata can usually be found in wetter areas, and also tend to form clumps or colonies. E. brunonis on the other hand, can be found in many different soil types and plants are often found singly.

Tony Watkinson

 

Elythranthera brunonis, Eden, Oct 1988

Elythranthera emarginata, Albany, Nov 1980

 

Elythranthera emarginata x Elythranthera brunonis, Rocky Gully, Oct 1982

EPIBLEMA� (Babe in the cradle orchid)

Epiblema is a species with two distinct varieties. They were first recorded by Robert Brown, a botanist on Mathew Flinders exploration and mapping visit to King Georges Sound, Albany, Western Australia in December 8th 1801 to January 5th 1802. Brown, assisted by Ferdinand Bauer (botanical artist) and Peter Good, (Kew Gardens) recorded some 500 plants, mostly new to botanical science. Thirteen were orchids, including Epiblema. These collections were named and described by Brown in Prodromous (1810), the forerunner to The Flora of New Holland & the Island of Van Dieman. The orchids pictured in this gallery, are of Epiblema grandiflora variety grandiflora. There is another variety (var. cyanea) which occurs in only two known areas, one in a Northern Perth suburb and the other at Walpole on the South Coast.

The variety grandiflora, is wide spread throughout the coastal strip from Perth to east of Esperance where the handsome purple flowers grow mainly in swamps covered in thick rushes and often with their roots in water. It seems that they start their growth while there is standing water in the swamps, and growth and flowering continues after the swamps dry out in the summer. After flowering, Epiblema become deciduous, resuming growth with the winter/spring rains. Epiblema are terrestrial orchids with subterranean tubers, they have a single leaf, that is almost terete, to 20cm approximately. The stem grows to about 80cm tall and can carry up to 8 blue to mauve flowers with darker spots. The flowers are up to 4cm across and have a most unusual series of ribbon like appendages at the base of the labelum. The column wings form a hood over the anther. The flowers are very similar to Thelymitras but do not share the Thelymitra habit of closing on cloudy days and at night. They grow in peaty soils in winter wet swamps and tend to form colonies. They do not appear to require fire to regenerate and can be seen flowering between November and January. The other variety, var. cyanea, has similar growth habits and differs from var. grandiflorum in being pale blue in colour.

Tony Watkinson

 

Epiblema grandiflorum, Cheyne Beach, Nov 1991

ERIOCHILUS (Woolly lip or Bunny orchids)

This hardy species is an autumn flowerer regardless of early rain or not. They have been found north to Sharks Bay, east to Mundrabilla/Eucla and from the south west inland to the perimeters of the eastern and northern wheat belt. They can flower in thousands, particularly after a summer burn. There are four species validly named, three currently in manuscript and a further four sub-species. The last seven have had their names prematurely released and published in some orchid books bringing them into common use. They have not been validated under the International Code and care must be taken when using them.

E. scaber (rough hairs) or Pink Bunny is quite small but can be super abundant over a wide area. E. multiflorus (many flowered) is the tallest of the species with many close packed flowers. E.dilatatus or the White Bunny has its sepals dilated and can have up to ten flowers.

E. tenuis or the Slender Bunny Orchid has a later flowering period and is sparsely distributed throughout the South West. Some of the, as yet, invalidly named species are shown in this gallery and remarkably one graphically shows a stern mother with her chastised child who is crying its eyes out and another is from the barnyard where a proud rooster and a little hen are depicted. These species can be easily identified by the thin wiry stems and the small leaves which are present about one third of the way up the stems. Very small native bees pollinate them.

Ron Heberle. April 2003

 

Eriochilus dilatatus, Bakers Junction, Albany, April 1982

Eriochilus multiflorus, Bayonet Head, Albany, May 1987

 

Eriochilus scaber,� Bakers Junction, Albany, July 1986

 

GASTRODIA (Potato orchids)

According to Hoffman and Brown (1998), the genus Gastrodia has at least 25 species, distributed from India to Malaysia, Indonesia, New Zealand and Australia. Only one species occurs in West Australia. Gastrodia do not contain green coloration and have no true leaves.

 

Gastrodia lacista, Torbay, Nov 1991

 

GENOPLESIUM (Pygmy orchids)

This genus consists of over 35 species, two from New Zealand, one from New Caledonia and the remainder from Australia (Hoffman and Brown, 1998). Only one species is found in Western Australia.

 

Genoplesium nigricans, Lake King, May 1993

 

LEPORELLA (Hare orchid)

Leporella occurs only in Australia (Hoffman and Brown, 1998). The range is from Victoria, South Australia and West Australia. Leporella is latin for hare. There is only one species, which has previously been included with Leptoceras and Caladenia.

 

Leporella fimbriata, Bakers Junction, Albany, June 1987

 

LEPTOCERAS (Rabbit orchid)

Leptoceras is related to both Caladenia and Leporella (Hoffman and Brown, 1998). Its only species is found in South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania.

 

Leptoceras menziesii, Tone River, Sep 1987

 

LYPERANTHUS (Rattle beak orchids)

Until recently, Lyperanthus consisted of 4 Australian species, two of which have now been placed with Pyrorchis (Hoffman and Brown, 1998). One species occurs in West Australia. Both species have a long, narrow leathery leaf and do not require fire to facilitate flowering.

 

Lyperanthus serratus, Spencer Park, Albany, Oct 1991