Caladenia pectinata

Common name: King Spider Orchid
Colour: Red, green
Sepals: Large clubs
Petals: Short, pointed, no clubs
Can grow to about 70 cms
Prefers winter wet country and base of granite rocks
Flowers September, October 

Thelymitra macmillanii

This is a hybrid, possibly between Thelymitra antennifera and T. aff. holmesii
Colour: numerous shades of pink and cream
Prefers winter wet country and base of granite rocks
Flowers: September, October, November

Caladenia latifolia

Common name: Pink Fairies
Colour: Pale to deep pink
Can grow to 45 cms and have up to 4 blooms/stem
Usually found close to the coast
Flowers: August - October

Caladenia hiemalis

Common name: Dwarf Common Spider Orchid
Colour: Petals and sepals white with dark red/brown tips, held stiffly
Prefers moist areas in open woodland
Flowers: June - August

Leporella fimbriata

Common name: Hare Orchid, Fringed Hare Orchid
Colour: Maroon - green
Labellum: Broad - green - maroon - long fringe
Leaves: red veined, bluish green
Found in Jarrah, Banksia forests and coastal heath
Flowers: March - June

Pterostylis aff. sanguinea

Common name: Coastal Banded Greenhood
Colour: Mid green, white
Sepals: Slightly cupped
Usually found near the coast, in shaded areas
Flowers: June - September

Caladenia dorrienii D.R.F.

Common name: Cossack Spider Orchid, so name because the lateral sepals cross like the  legs of a dancing Cossack
Colour: White with dark tips to petals and sepals
Prefers clay soil in Wandoo Forest.
It is quite rare and is Declared Rare Flora

Thelymitra variegata

Common name: Queen of Sheba
Colour: Orange, red, purple
Leaf: Corkscrew shape
Grows in sandy soils of coastal areas
Flowers: June - September

Caladenia arrecta

Common name: Reaching Spider Orchid
Colour: Red, greenish white
Petals: Upswept and heavy clubs
Sepals: heavy clubs
Grows in Wandoo, Banksia, Sheoak and Jarrah forest
Flowers: August - Octobe

Caladenia longicauda subsp. rigidula

Common name: Rigid White Spider Orchid - so called because the petals and sepals are held  very stiffly
Colour: Greenish white
Grows in winter wet and granite areas north of Esperance
Flowers: August - October

Prasophyllum parvifolium

Common Name: Autumn Leek Orchid
Colour: White, red veined petals and sepals
Grows in Sheoak country; sometimes coastal heath, Banksia and Jarrah country
Flowers: June - August

Thelymitra benthamiana

Common name: Leopard Orchid
Colour: Brown blotched yellow flowers
Leaf: Broad - pale green
Grows in winter wet areas, base of granite rocks
Flowers: September - November

Praecoxanthus aphyllus

Common name: Leafless orchid - so named as flowering plants have no leaf, only a small  bract
Colour: petals and sepals creamy white; labellum purple, yellow and green
Fragrant perfume
Usually grows in sandy soil in Banksia, Sheoak or Jarrah country
Flowers: March - May

Cephalotus follicularis

Family: Cephalotaceae
Common name: Albany Pitcher Plant
Colour: bright reddish orange to green to brown.
Has two types of leaves - some flat and others modified into pitchers, which contain a watery liquid.

Insects easily drown in this and in decomposing are absorbed by the plant.
The pitchers can grow to about 5cm long, and have lids which may close in hot weather.

It grows in damp areas where there is a continual flow of water through the soil.
The flowering stem - December to March - can be up to 60cm long.

The flowers are swarthy scented.

Beaufortia sparsa

Family: Myrtaceae
Common name: Swamp Bottlebrush
Colour: brilliant orange red
Shrub to about 3m in height
Grows in coastal swamps
Flowers between January and April, often seen around Easter.

The Sun Orchids – Thelymitras

These are interesting orchids, as they do not have a labellum, as do many of the other genera of orchids, but have three sepals and three petals all similar in size and shape, and a column.  The column is different in each species and is used for identification.

When we think of Sun Orchids, we visualize bright sunny spring and summer days, which indeed these orchids require to open fully.  So what a pleasure it is, on a sudden burst of sunshine on a cold July day, to come across the beautiful purple/red/orange/gold Queen of Sheba – Thelymitra variegata – in full bloom.  She is one of the first of this lovely genus to flower.  A close relative – Curly Locks – Thelymitra spiralis, also flowers about this time.  It’s flowers range from red to purple but are not as brilliant as the Queen.  Both have a curious spirally twisted leaf.  The Lemon Scented or Vanilla Orchid – Thelymitra antennifera – with it’s little brown “rabbit’s ears” column lobes, also begins flowering in July.  The bright yellow blooms and lemon scent are most attractive on a winter’s day.

August sees the distinctive Twisted Sun Orchid – Thelymitra flexuosa – with little yellow flowers on a zig-zag stem.  The Scented Sun Orchid – Thelymitra macrophylla – with it’s fragrantly perfumed blue flowers and broad leathery leaf begins flowering now.  She is a real beauty, sometimes reaching 50cms. with a dozen or more flowers on one stem.

Early spring – September – and the pretty brown and yellow blotched Leopard Orchid – Thelymitra benthamiana – can be seen, the Custard Orchid – Thelymitra villosa, somewhat similar to the Leopard, but distinguished by being the only Thelymitra to have a hairy leaf.  September sees some beautiful blue Sun Orchids – the Azure Sun Orchid – Thelymitra azurea, with it’s blue/mauve colouring; the Shirt Orchid – Thelymitra campanulata – so named because of its light blue colour with distinct darker stripes, so like a pin-striped shirt.  Also, the lovely deep mauve Lilac Sun Orchid - Thelymitra cornicina, the brilliant blue - Blue Lady Orchid - Thelymitra crinita - with it's broad oval leaf, and the strange Slender Sun Orchid - Thelymitra  pauciflora – which is self-pollinating, opening only for very short periods in hot sunny weather.

November – and the striking Chestnut Sun Orchid – Thelymitra fuscolutea – begins to flower – so attractive with its brown and yellow blooms.  Also, the Plain Sun Orchid – Thelymitra aff. holmesii.  This beauty can reach 80cms. and have more than 20 flowers to a stem.  They can be blue, violet, pink or white.  It also has a sweet perfume – in fact, you often smell it before you see it!

The genus Thelymitra certainly has a host of lovely blooms, flowering for over seven months in many different habitats.  Many are as yet un-named and perhaps more to be discovered.  These named are just some to be found in our area.