Tangle-root Orchid - edited

EDITED - THE NEXT DAY
As I was not satisfied with the photos in yesterday's post, I have added new images which I took today, back out in the bush, when it was less windy.

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This is my first post about the Tangle-root Orchid (Plectorrhiza tridentata) I may have mentioned it incidentally before, but I have never had close-up photos before. My fellow Aussie Nature Blogger, Gaye, has written about this Orchid when she found it in the Barrington Tops.

This is an uncommon Orchid up here on top of the Illawarra Escarpment. I had seen one plant here, before, just on the edge of the Robertson basalt caps, but on the lower edges there-of.

Tangle-root Orchid is well named.
This plant is hanging by a single thread of root
suspended from the ferns on the tree branch above it.
Its ball of roots is about the size of a football - but very light.
This plant has only about 7 leaves,
but it is carrying about 12 flowers.
These flowers are clearly honey coloured.

Here is a cropped image,
showing the same plant - just its leaves and flowers
This plant was about 5 metres high.
The flowers are small and hard to see.

Some time ago I was told by Graeme Bradburn of ANOS about another place in my local area (a place with which I was familiar) where he said these Orchids were to be found. Sure enough, after seeing that the one plant I knew about was in flower, I tried the place Graeme had suggested - and there they were.

This was the best image I could obtain, with a zoom lens.
It clearly shows the long spur behind the labellum.
(in this angle it is "above", but structurally, it is behind the labellum)

A closer view of spray of flowers.
Some insect eggs on the leaf at lower end.
Same species, but these ones are green not honey-coloured.

See new image below - which is clearer.
Click to enlarge)

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This is one flower very close-up, from the side.
Note how there is a long tube ("spur") behind the labellum.
The dorsal sepal and lateral petals closely shield the column.
(Photo replaced 10.10.09)

Here is a flower, as seen from above.
The white and yellow parts are the labellum, spread widely.
The green "hood" is the dorsal sepal.
The protective "arms' are the petals.
Here is the flower seen from directly in front,
but seen from low down to look into the "column"
The "spur" is just visible, below the flower.
Here is a similar view taken today.
You can see the column which is so well protected by the dorsal sepal.

Finally, here is another shot, taken with natural light.
The flower is merely 5mm wide and deep.
The spur behind is probably about 1 cm long.

The Tangle-root Orchid has a delicious sweet perfume, but on a cold, windy day like today, it was barely noticeable. On a warm day, no doubt it would drive the insects crazy with desire.

My favourite image.

It shows the left hand flower as seen from the front.
The "Gravy-ladle shaped" labellum (wider than deep) is clearly visible.
On the right it shows the side view perfectly.
Note the closely hooded green dorsal sepal and side petals
and the long white and purple "spur" behind the labellum.