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Orchids Of The Yarra Valley
There are approx. 120 native orchids within the Yarra Ranges area and many are fragile, very sensitive to movement (most don’t survive), rainfall or lack of, heat, cold and short flowering. You will see many appear in the spring with some varieties appearing only in the Winter, Summer and Autumn months.
The list of 33 orchids below was originally collated by Jenny Barnett through discoveries on her walks. She was a much loved member of the Old Kinglake Road community and sadly claimed on Black Saturday Bushfires of 2009. Jenny would take members of the community on orchid walks in the Spring and was obviously passionate about local orchids.
Rather than loose the list of Jenny’s orchid discoveries in the area, we decided to publish it here with added information, links to internet sources and photo’s.
The botanical name is linked to Wikipedia whilst the common name is linked to the Yarra Ranges Council information. The Yarra Ranges information is very informative with additional photo’s. Another great local source is VicFlora - Flora Of Victoria site which has a link on the photo’s enabling access to additional information including its distribution across Victoria, other states and Australia (Flora Of Australia database) along with more photo’s, descriptions and buds-flowers-fruiting months.
Botanical Name - Common Name
Mauve ~20 cm tall, occasionally white, plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae, and is endemic to Australia. It is a ground orchid with a single hairy leaf and one or two purple to mauve flowers.
Late October
White, often pink on back 10-25 cm tall, hooded back petal, musky smell in warm weather. Smooth keel at back of labellum. 18 Caladenia varieties exist
Late October
Colonies of single flat pointed leaves, flower with 2 white downwards petals and long red ‘ears’ growing to a height of 6–20 cm with one to three small flowers, sometimes all white but more usually white, pink and red. Fringed Hare Orchid is a different variety
Late October
Pink or white ~6-20 cm tall, straight back petal. Stem green or reddish with scattered hairs. Dies down in hot weather. Plants in the Dandenong Ranges are frequently white - Caladenia vulgaris - Slender Pink-fingers
Late October
Small pink fingers with slightly curved petals. Some occur in colonies in moss, open only in strong sunlight. Slender erect perennial growing from round tubers, forming small loose colonies.
Late October
8. Caladenia irridescens Bronze Caladenia Caladenia transitoria Eastern Bronzehood
Small slender 6-10cm tall hooded back petal and other petals slightly curved. Metallic green-yellow bronzy colour. Both are closely related but slightly different
Late October
Green spider orchid with red markings. Slender erect perennial growing from round tubers. Stem green, hairy. Dies down in hot weather. 5-15 cm high
Late October
Bright sulphur yellow with large oval 'donkey ears' dark brown markings, 15-30 cm tall
Late October
Small pale-mid blue sunorchid, 10-20cm 1-several flowers. Requires strong sun to open. Some specimens are much larger to 30-40cm with more flowers. 12 different Thelymita varieties (sun Orchids) exist in the Yarra Valley
Late October
Bright blue to pinkish mauve with dots on some petals, 15-35cm tall. Opens in low amounts of sun.
Late October
Bright blue to pinkish mauve with dots on some petals, 15-35cm tall. Opens in low amounts of sun.
Late October
Beard usually red-brown-purplish but can be green or more red. Beard to end of labellum. Back of petals usually green. ~20-25 cm tall. 5 Calochilus varieties (Beard Orchids) exist
Late October
Late October
Colonies of flat pointed paired leaves, relatively large green to red flowers on short stems. ~5cm tall. 5 Chiloglottis varieties (Bird Orchids) exist
Late October
Spike of closely spaced white flowers from an onion-like leaf. 12 Prasophyllum varieties (Leek Orchids) exist
Late October
Uniformly red spider orchid 20 cm tall
September
White, often pink on back ~10cm tall, hooded back petal, no smell. Toothed edge on labellum
September
Blue ~10cm tall, straight back petal
September
Yellow with small round 'donkey ears' dark brown markings, 15-25 cm tall.
4 Diuris varieties exist in the Yarra Valley
September
Yellow with large oval 'donkey ears' diffuse mauve-brown markings, 20-30 cm tall
September
Upright single flower greenhood with some leaves at bottom and on the stem, 15-25cm tall, long 'ears', straight tongue
19 Pterostylis varieties (Greenhood Orchids) exist
September
Upright single flower greenhood with rosette, 15-20cm tall, short 'ears', twisted tongue
September
Nodding single flower greenhood in colonies, basal rosettes, ~15 cm tall
September
Slender single flower greenhood with purplish top, basal rosette, ~20-25 cm
September
Description
Multi-flowered upright green hood to 35cm tall with alternating leaves on stem, no rosette.
Flowering
September
26. Chiloglottis reflexa
Multi-flowered upright green hood to 35cm tall with alternating leaves on stem, no rosette. 5 Chiloglottis varieties are known to exist
September
Multi-flowered upright green hood to 35cm tall with alternating leaves on stem, no rosette. 12 Prasophyllum varieties are known to exist
September
Central sepal and petals united into a galea (hood) over the column and labellum (lip). Lateral sepals joined at the base, ending in fine points. 19 Pterostylis varieties are known to exist
September
Slender erect perennial herb growing from a fleshy tuber, stem greenish. Flowers upside down with lip (labellum) on top. 3 Corunastylis varieties are known to exist
September
Slender erect perennial herb growing from a round tuber. Stem brownish-green.
September
Single thin heart-shaped leaf 15-30 mm x 12-25 mm, green above, reddish-purple below, entire, occasionally shallowly lobed, held flat above the ground surface. 2 Acianthus varieties are known to exist
September
Crowded spike of 10-80 tiny flowers; round central sepal hooded, partly hiding petals, tip curved back; 5 Microtis varieties are known to exist
September
Spike of 15-40 stalked, open flowers. Albino forms rare. Sepals and petals are curved back at the tips. Lip (labellum) has darker pink lines. stem 0.3-0.9 m high. 3 Dipodium varieties are known to exist
December
