New Year and a new Orchid (for me)

What better way to start the New Year with a new (to me) species of Orchid?

Several days ago I went with Alan Stephenson, the Conservation Officer with the Australasian Native Orchid Society (ANOS), and he showed me a colony of Calanthe triplicata (the "Christmas Orchid") *** I have been advised by Allen Sheather from "Wild Wings and Swampy Things" that this species is now regarded as a separate species, Calanthe australasica.
These plants are close to the southern end of their range - being about 15 Km south of Ulladulla, on the NSW South Coast.

They were growing on the floor of the tall forest, which was a mix of Spotted Gums (Corymbia maculata), and Turpentine (Syncarpia glomulifera) The soil was deep grey sand, with a deep cover of leaf litter. Along the creek, the habitat could be loosely described as rainforest-type understorey, but the dominant trees were wet sclerophyll forest trees.

Here is a huge trunk of a fallen tree - it crosses the creek.
approx size: 1.4 metre diameter trunk, Height estimated at 40 metres.
Canopy branches not included.

Few specimens were more striking than this magnificent tree.

A view directly up to the canopy.
I could not begin to estimate the full height.

The trunk of the same tree (Spotted Gum).
There is a human figure just barely visible in the lower corner
on the track to the left, beyond the tree.
I think it was a motor cyclist who passed us.

Some of the Orchids were growing in the more open part of the forest (brightly lit patches). However, many of these plants were budding, but had failed to flower.The only plants which had flowered successfully this year were those in the deepest shade, close to the creek.

Here is a set of buds - preparing to open.
There had been good rain in the previous few days,
which will help them open successfully.

This plant has a flower, buds and a seed pod from last year.
These plants are growing in a dead (rotten) log.
Perfect mulch like this probably takes 30 years to produce. But it works.

A closer view of seedling Orchids in the same rotten log.

Click to see the small seedlings.
The leaves of this plant are very distinctive
Long strap like leaves are deeply veined.
These stems are about 80 cm high.
Here is a close-up of the flower.
Underneath view of the flower reveals the "spur".
I believe this has the function of a "nectary".
After successful pollination, these Orchids produce large seed pods.
These ones are left over from last year,
but they have shed their seeds already.

I have only ever seen these plants (out of flowering season) at Barrington Tops, near the Old Guest House, and beside the Williams River. At that stage I did not know what species they were, but I did know they were Orchids, from their old seed pods - just like these ones.

*** Update on name correction
Allen Sheather was correct - Calanthe triplicata was re-named on 21/12/2006.

Source: Australian Orchid Name Index

Calanthe australasica D.L.Jones et M.A.Clem., Austral. Orchid. Res. 5: 8 (21 Dec. 2006). Type: Australia. Queensland. Kroombit Tops, 2 Jan. 1997, R.Crane 1773 (holo CANB!).

• Calanthe veratrifolia (Willd.) R.Br. var. australis Lindl. et Paxton in Paxton’s, Fl. Gard. 2: 132 (1851-53). Type: cult. Kew ex ‘New Holland, Illawarra’, Aug. 1822, A.Cunningham s.n. (holo K-LINDL!).

• Calanthe veratrifolia (Willd.) R.Br. var. kennyi F.M.Bailey, Queensland Agric. J. 28: 276 (1912). Type: ‘Lake Eacham’, F.Hamilton-Kenny s.n. (holo BRI!).

Dist: Nsc, Ncc, Nnc, Qmo, Qwb, Qpc, Qks, Qkn, Qco, Lord Howe Island; PG?

Further note: The distribution of the original named species, Calanthe triplicata "is huge - being from W. Indian Ocean, Trop. & Subtrop. Asia to Pacific including Mauritius, Madagascar, Seychelles Islands, China, Japan, Taiwan, Assam, India, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Borneo, Java, Malaysia, Philippines, Sulawesi, Bismarck Islands, New Guinea, Solomon Islnds, Norfolk Island, Fiji, New Caledonia, Samoa, Vanuatu" Source: Orchids Online