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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Discussion

LeahColebrook wrote:
Yesterday
Thanks Matt. The ID tip is very helpful, I’ll remember that for future sightings :) cheers !

Cyrtostylis reniformis
MattM wrote:
Yesterday
Close. This is a gnat orchid. Gnats and helmets have very similar leaves, however the gnats have distinct milky veins whereas the veins are almost undetectable in helmet orchid leaves.

Cyrtostylis reniformis
AaronClausen wrote:
Yesterday
Reported Date Time is deliberately suppressed to prevent the possible triangulation of sensitive records.

Caladenia actensis
MattM wrote:
Yesterday
@AMR I wasn't aware that those details were suppressed for most users. As a moderator this information is made visible to me.

Caladenia actensis
MattM wrote:
Yesterday
Most of the autumn flowering greenhoods display this trait. They produce a flower spike which is then followed by a rosette emerging separately to the flower spike. The opposite is true for the spring species in which the flower spike emerges directly from an existing rosette.

Diplodium ampliatum
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