Orchids


There are about 30,000 species of orchid worldwide making Orchidaceae the largest family of flowering plants. They are found in a diverse range of habitats.

Orchids have distinctive flowers, consisting of three sepals and three petals. The third petal is greatly modified into a specialised structure known as a labellum. Another distinctive feature is the column, a fusion of the sexual parts of the flower (stamens and style) into a fleshy structure. Most terrestrial orchids grow from a tuber which is replaced each year.

Some orchids are designated as rare and endangered plants. Others, although reasonably common, are very localised in their occurence. All orchids are protected species and should not be disturbed in their native habitat. For these reasons all orchids have been included as rare or sensitive plants.


Orchids

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BethanyDunne wrote:
1 hr ago
Such a beautiful place, so privileged to get to do fieldwork up here! Thanks Greg.

Paraprasophyllum venustum
gregbaines wrote:
1 hr ago
Beth - you are making the rest of us look bad, great pics.

Paraprasophyllum venustum
BethanyDunne wrote:
Yesterday
Thanks Derek.

Paraprasophyllum caricetum
RobG1 wrote:
Yesterday
I also think it is C leptochila, but I haven't seen one without the black calli spots. I can see a leaf in the background of the second photo (probably belonging to another plant in the colony). It looks like there was another plant in the background of the second photo that had been in flower as well, @amarsh , did you notice whether there were any flowers left on that one? If so, were they also missing the spots?

Cryptostylis leptochila
Tapirlord wrote:
Yesterday
ID suggested to me by Robert Mitchell

Thelymitra brevifolia
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