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ERIOCHILUS
(Woolly Lip) or the 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
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