December/January - Orchid Time!!
Native orchids are a very diverse group of plants and they can be seen at their best at this time of year. A few different orchids are illustrated here and if you are out and about in the bush or wetlands this holiday period keep your eyes peeled. In bush areas the most commonly seen orchid is the green hooded orchid (Pterostylis banksii) - this photo was taken at Mores Reserve Riverton on 23 December 2011.
Also flowering now are the black orchids (Gastrodia cunninghamii), look out for what appears to be a dead stick!! They are parasitic orchids that grow on the roots of other plants and if you take a close look their flowers are quite distinctive, there are a lot of them up the stem and they are scented.
Some of the most spectacular orchids are found in wetlands. One such species is the sun orchid (Thelymitra vernosa). Its striking blue or purple colour is very obvious and this species can be seen at Waituna lagoon from the new loop track off Waghorn Road.
Posted: 24 December 2011