This page is dedicated to Western Australian Orchids I have personally seen and photographed in the wild.
Orchid hunting isn’t for the faint of heart. One must be ready to:
- drive long distances
- deal with the heat
- deal with the cold and wind
- be prepared with boots in case there is deep waters
- look out for snakes
- get attacked by inch ants
- be prepared to bring home a few ticks on your person
- Slither like a soldier on the ground on your elbows to get the right shot
- carry heavy camera gear to be ready for any type of shot (because while looking for orchids, you could spot a bird!)
- read maps and mud maps
- have razor sharp vision to find almost invisible and very small plants (I call this orchid eyes)
- drive to a far away site three times over three weekends in hopes the sun has been out long enough to finally open that sun orchid you spotted a while back, only to discover it’s been pollinated and now done for.
- learn their common names and their scientific names
- learn how to distinguish between their species, like knowing the difference between The Lonely Hammer and the Late Hammer Orchid (time of year). Since the Lonely Hammer is rare, it’s likely the Late Hammer anyway.
- learn the parts of an orchid
- realize that some Western Australian orchids don’t even resemble a flower at first glance
- always look and photograph the leaves to help identify what you have found!
And now to our discoveries. (Click on the images to see the picture larger)
Flying Duck Orchid
Paracaleana nigrita
Found off Brookton Hwy
October
King-in-his-carriage
Drakaea glyptodon
Herron Area
October
Warty Hammer Orchid
Drakaea livida
Nannup Area
September
Narrow-lipped Hammer Orchid
Drakaea thynniphila
Off Caves Road
September
Pink Enamel Orchid
Elythranthera emarginata
Herron Area
October
Purple Enamel Orchid
Elythranthera brunonis
Kojonup Area
October
Common Donkey Orchid
Diuris corymbosa
Dunsborough Area
September
Bee Orchid
Diuris laxiflora
Udamung Reserve
September
Mini Donkey Orchid
Diuris recurva
Candy’s Bush Reserve, Moora, WA
August
Winter Donkey Orchid
Diuris brumalis
Perth Hills
July
Arrowsmith Pansy Orchid
Diuris tinkerii
Eneabba
August
Northern Queen of Sheba
Thelymitra pulcherrima
Eneabba
August
Scented Sun Orchid
Thelymitra macrophylla
Udamung Reserve
September
Leopard Orchid
Thelymitra benthamiana
Manea Park
November
Blue Lady
Thelymitra crinita
Drummund Reserve
September
Red Sun Orchid
Thelymitra x macmillanii
Udamung Reserve
September
Lemon Scented Sun Orchid
Thelymitra antennifera
Wongan Hills
September
Shirt Orchid
Thelymitra campanulata
Wongan Hills
September
Dragon Orchid
Caladenia barbarossa
Foxes Lair
October
Bearded Bird Orchid
Pterostylis turfosa
Bunbury
October
Frog Greenhood
Pterostylis sargentii
Brookton Highway
September
Painted Rufous Greenhood
Pterostylis picta
Wongan Hills Area
October
Slender Snail Orchid
Pterostylis sp. ‘slender’
Nannup Area
September
Hairy-stemmed Snail Orchid
Pterostylis sp. ‘hairy’
Watheroo
September
Short-eared Snail Orchid
Pterostylis sp. ‘short sepals’
Lightning Swamp
September
Dark Banded Greenhood
Pterostylis sanguinea
West of York
September
Northern Banded Greenhood
Pterostylis sp. ‘northern’
Mogumber Road
June
Jug Orchid
Pterostylis recurva
Nannup Area
September
Common Mignonette Orchid
Microtis media
Manea Park, Bunbury
September
Rattle Beaks
Lyperanthus serratus
Wireless Hill, Perth
September
Red Beaks
Pyrorchis nigricans
Neaves Rd, after a burn
September
The Green Spider Orchid (also known as the Fringed Mantis Orchid)
Caladenia falcata
Brookton Highway
September
Ant Orchid
Caladenia roei
Buntine Rock
September
Brookton Highway Cowslip
Caladenia flava subsp. ‘late red’
Brookton Highway
Late September
Cowslip
Caladenia flava
Dunsborough Area
September
Pink Fairy Orchid
Caladenia latifolia
Dunsborough Area
September
Dwarf Pink Fairy
Caladenia reptans
Brookton Hwy
August
Leaping Spider Orchid
Caladenia macrostylis
Manea Park
September
White Spider Orchid
Caladenia longicauda
Manea Park, Bunbury
September
Moora Spider Orchid
Caladenia exilis ssp. vanleeuwenii
Watheroo
August
Primrose Spider Orchid
Caladenia xantha
Brookton Highway
August
Stark White Spider Orchid
Caladenia longicauda subsp. eminens
Brookton Highway
September
Blood Spider Orchid
Caladenia filifera
Brookton Highway
August
Carousel Spider Orchid
Caladenia arenicola
Wireless Hill, Perth
September
Winter Spider Orchid
Caladenia drummondii
Toodyay Area
May
Scott River Spider Orchid
Caladenia thinicola
Yallingup
September
Yellow Spider Orchid
Caladenia denticulata subsp. denticulata
Wongon Hills
Septamber
Noble Spider Orchid
Caladenia nobilis
Johnston Road
September
Drooping Spider Orchid
Caladenia radialis
Eneabba
August
Dancing Spider Orchid
Caladenia discoidea
Rica Erickson Reserve
September
Crimson Spider Orchid
Caladenia footeana
Watheroo
September
Tall Leek Orchid
Prasophyllum elatum
Johnston Rd
October
Pouched Leek Orchid
Prasophyllum cyphochilum
Kojonup Area
October
Autumn Leek Orchid
Prasophyllum parvifolium
Mongumber Road
June
Laughing Leek Orchid
Prasophyllum macrostachyum
Tammin Railway Dam Reserve
October
Little Laughing Leek Orchid
Prasophyllum gracile
Buntine Rock Area
September
Yawning Leek Orchid
Prasophyllum hians
Rica Erickson Reserve
September
Sugar Orchid
Ericksonella saccharata
West of York
September
Blue Fairy Orchid
Pheladenia deformis
West of York
Early September
Common Bunny Orchid
Eriochilus dilatatus
Toodyay Area
May
Pygmy Orchid
Corunastylis tepperi
West of Corrigin
April
Hare Orchid
Leporella fimbriata
Boranup-Caves Road
April
Rabbit Orchid
Leptoceras menziesii
Johnston Road
September
Slipper Orchid
Cryptostylis ovata
Boranup-Caves Road
April
Silky Blue Orchid
Cyanicula sericea
Drummund Reserve
September
Blue China Orchid
Cyanicula gemmata
Watheroo
September
Wandoo Beard Orchid
Calochilus stramenicola
Dryandra
October
