New images of Black Mountain Orchids

These images were taken on Black Mountain last weekend. I am grateful to Martin Butterfield and Tony Wood for arranging to meet me at Black Mountain, (ACT) and to show me where these particular plants are found. These are all plants I have not photographed properly before (I have seen the Little Duck Orchid in pouring rain at Lithgow, but the photos were barely recognisable.) The Black Tongued Stegostyla and the Large Bird Orchid are totally new species for me.

Little Duck Orchid
Paracaleana minor

You might like to compare this species with the closely related Flying Duck Orchid, Caleana major.

Little Duck Orchid
Paracaleana minor
Front view of the Orchid and column and pollinia.

leaf of Little Duck Orchid
Paracaleana minor

Oligochaetochilus rufus
Rustyhood Orchid - front view

This species of the "rufa group" (or Rustyhoods) (originally in the Pterostylis group) is flowering considerably later than other "Rustyhoods".

Oligochaetochilus rufus
Rustyhood Orchid - side view

Simpliglottis valida
Large Bird Orchid

This is the first time I have seen this species of Large Bird Orchid (Simpliglottis valida). You can contrast this species with the local "Illawarra Bird Orchid" Simpliglottis chlorantha - which is primarily an all-green flower. Similar in structure, with subtle differences in the gland structure.

Simpliglottis valida
Large Bird Orchid
Note large "osmophores" glands.
(Click on image to enlarge)

This large pink "non-Caladenia" as Martin refers to them, is a striking plant. It was growing amongst tussocks of native grasses high on the eastern side of Black Mountain - overlooking Canberra's Civic Centre. I was anticipating it to be a small "Ladies Fingers Orchid", but the flowers were far larger and far taller than I was expecting.

Stegostyla congesta
Black-tongue Orchid

The labellum of this Orchid is very distinctive, with its "calli" (glands) packed densely all over the lebellum. The entire plant is covered with fine bristles.

Stegostyla congesta
Black-tongue Orchid

Illawarra Bird Orchids start to flower on Budderoo Fire Trail

I have posted about the Bird Orchids of Budderoo Plateau in previous years.

I cannot help it.

They are so extraordinary, and so localised that I always feel a glow of satisfaction when I find them.

This year, they have started to flower today, 17 August. I have found them flowering as early as 19 July in 2008, and yet they have been known to flower as late as 23 September.

This plant is known also by the name Illawarra Bird Orchid -  a reference to the "open-mouthed" posture of a baby bird, begging for food.

I have been watching these plants for about 5 weeks, firstly as leaves, then as leaves with small buds, then leaves with large upright buds, and today flowers just opening, despite the light rain which was falling. Situation normal on the Budderoo Plateau. These plants grow in shallow soil over a sandstone rock shelf. They flower in late winter, and early spring, when the shallow soil is frequently wet. This heathland on shallow soil is a harsh environment, subject to extreme drying out over summer. These plants become totally dormant at that stage - they lose their leaves and hide under the soil. A good survival strategy.

I am referring to this plant by the name Simpliglottis chlorantha, but PlantNET obstinately refuses to recognise that name. So, when I refer to the illustration from their site, I use the name which they use, Chiloglottis chlorantha.

Note the extraordinary large calli 

or osmophores (scent-producing glands)

on the broad labellum (on left of image).

Illustration from PlantNET - "Chiloglottis chlorantha"

Simpliglottis chlorantha in situ under heath plants

These plants grow in and under the low heath plants 

and "Eggs and Bacon" Pea flowers

which thrive on the shallow moist, peaty soil over the rock shelves of the area.

The dominant heath plant (in flower at the moment) 
on Budderoo Plateau
The genus name "Leucopogon" refers to "white bearded".
This plant is in the family Ericaceae, known as "heath plants"
Click to enlarge the image, to see the bearded flowers.

Leucopogon microphyllus var microphyllus

 One of the upright Eggs and Bacon Pea flowers 

which thrive on the shallow sandstone soil.

Possibly Dillwynia sp. "Barren Grounds"

Dillwynia sp. possibly the Barren Grounds species (from nearby)

 The flower here is seen from the side. 

The "lateral sepals" protrude out in front of the flower,

then curve downwards at their tips.

Illawarra Bird Orchid - Simpliglottis chlorantha - earns its green name (chlorantha)

This is a fresh flower, and so the labellum is held quite close 

to the column.

The large pollen grains (pollinia) are just visible

held above the labellum.

Note the green and red glands (calli) on the labellum

These Orchids have two fresh green leaves flat on the ground.

The leaves are often partially covered by leaf litter.

Illawarra Bird Orchid has a red throat under the labellum.

A Blue-tongued Lizard and a Bird Orchid

Further up the hill from the spot where the Petalochilus hillmanii are growing (on Cambewarra Range) I had found leaves of what were likely to be Bird Orchids. I have not reported these, as there has been no previous record of this species here. One was budding, so I figured I ought wait till it flowered, to get a positive ID.

Well, yesterday, I took Alan up that ridge to show him what I had found so far, up there. I mean, in addition to the Tall Leek Orchids I have reported on from this spot.

We pulled off the road and straight away I found my path blocked by this magnificent specimen of a Blue-tongued Lizard. It clearly felt little urge to move out of my way. It was soaking up the warmth from the hard, hot soil.

Blue-tongue Lizard soaking up the warmth

This is the close-up of this Lizard. Uncharacteristically it made no attempt to hiss at me,  nor to attempt to  scare me with its spectacular blue tongue. I was actually hope it would do that, as the light was perfect for photography..

This Blue-tongue just tried to out-stare me.

Anyway, we eventually persuaded the Blue-tongue to scurry off the road, to safety. Then we went looking for the Bird Orchids.

After showing Alan the leaves of  known plants of that species, we then browsed for other possible plants. This strategy was rewarded with one plant in flower, and another advanced bud. This allowed us to make a positive ID of that species. Illawarra Bird Orchid - Simpliglottis chlorantha

These plants are "within range" and they do like to grow at this altitude. But they have not been reported from this locality before. They have been reported from the Budderoo Plateau (to the north) and from the Budawangs (to the south). So it is nice to be able to "fill in the gaps" in the range of this species of Orchid.

Illawarra Bird Orchid - Simpliglottis chlorantha

Here is another shot of the entire plant.

Two leaves and the open flower of Illawarra Bird Orchid.

So, yet another Orchid species for the list from this extraordinary locality.

Bird Orchids still going strong

I have been away (to Brisbane) and then I have taken a break, to try and catch up with other writing. I have not achieved that goal, but I feel I need the discipline imposed by daily blogging. So I am getting back into it.

Today I am doing an easy blog - another story about the local Bird Orchids out on the Budderoo Plateau. Simpliglottis chlorantha, (a.k.a. Chiloglottis chlorantha), the Wollongong Bird Orchid. It is not found in Wollongong, but rather, up on the Budderoo Plateau, It is described as being located in the general "Knights Hill" area, but as Knights Hill is a basalt intrusion through the Sandstone Plateau, with rainforest habitat, even that locator is misleading. This area is adjacent to the better known Barren Grounds. As with the Barren Grounds, it is a classic Sandstone heathland habitat.

Wollongong Bird Orchid - Simpliglottis chlorantha
The red colour is underneath the "labellum" which is held nearly vertical.

I took Alan Stephenson from ANOS Illawarra to see these plants. At least we found many flowers, with some buds still to come. Alan has a contact, a scientist from the ANU who has studied pollination of Orchids (by pseudo-copulation by certain species of wasps), and he wanted to ascertain that these plants are still flowering, before advising this chap that it is worth the trip here. Well, yes, it should be.

A perfect bud

The "osmophores" (glands) on the Labellum.
The largest glands are red, and very large.
Smaller tall glands in the middle are yellowish green.
At the very front of the labellum is a series of rounded glands.
The largest one, at the front, is heart-shaped, and resembles a small blob of green jelly.

This is a photo of the very first flower I found open (this year), on 19 July 2008. You can see that the leaves have been chewed heavily, presumably by slugs or snails. In this location, one would assume that these would be native creatures. You can see that the plant closes the labellum against the "column" to protect the stigma, once the plant has been pollinated. Judging by how severely this plant has been chewed, that looks like a good survival strategy.

Here is the very same flower, as photographed on 19 July 2008 . You can see the distinctively bent stem (photo taken from a different angle).Here is the side-on view of the same flower, as taken on 19 July 2008 (6 weeks ago). Given that there are still a number of small buds in this little colony of plants, they obviously have a long flowering season.

Bird Orchids are back!

I have posted about these little charmers previously, but I am going to write them up again, because they are special.

They are highly localised plants, occurring in an area just near Robertson, on the Budderoo Plateau.These Bird Orchids get their name from the manner
in which the flower is held high,
resembling the open beak of a small bird, begging for food.
There are a number of closely related species, in other areas.
This is the only one I have seen.

This Bird Orchid is known as the "Wollongong Bird Orchid", the Green Bird Orchid, or Simpliglottis chlorantha (or Chiloglottis chlorantha).

It is found here on the Budderoo Plateau, and further south to the Budawangs. There may be some records from the Blue Mountains.

Botanical Illustration courtesy of PlantNET

Although David Jones mentions this locality in his book as Knights Hill (approx 6 Kms away), that reference is quite misleading. Knights Hill is a basalt capped mountain, with tall, wet Eucalypt forest, whereas these plants grow on shallow, sandy, peaty soil over a shallow sandstone rock shelf. They grow amongst small "heath" vegetation. In fact, they are quite hard to find, because of their tendency to grow in and amongst these low shrubby plants. One can clearly see Knights Hill from where these plants grow, but that's about all one can say in favour of that "location" note. Budderoo Plateau would have been a much better location descriptor.

You could hardly get more different habitats than Knights Hill (with a 30 metre canopy of Eucalypts and Sassafras), and where these plants are, growing under and amongst heath plants scarcely 30cm high.

Here is a close up of the Labellum.

The botanical description says: "Labellum cordate, 12–13 mm long, 9–12 mm wide, with c. 12 linear to terete, erect or curved calli on the basal two-thirds, the largest c. 3.5 mm long."

I prefer to describe the pale green, almost "luminous" green glands (calli) towards the tip of the labellum as looking like blobs of soft jelly. There are two large ones, and two small upright ones, flanking them. Behind the green glands are a series of upright glands, which look like they are made of red jelly. From the front-on view, these structures vaguely resemble chess pieces in some bizarre Chess Set, perhaps from an Alice in Wonderland story.

In the typical positioning of Chiloglottis Orchids, the column is held high, but directly above the labellum, ready to dob the sticky pollen grains on the back of a wasp which tries to mate with the flower (which smells like the female wasp).

Interestingly, the Labellum although looking quite stiff, is actually very lightly "hinged" and the labellums *** of these flowers were trembling in the warm breeze today.

This specimen has given its pollen away already,
to an unsuspecting wasp. one assumes. The yellow housing for the pollen is now empty,
and the receptive female part of the flower is clearly exposed.

Compare this flower (complete with pollen grains still present)
with the empty one, above.
This flower has an ant crawling across it, (click to enlarge image)
but the ant is not the suitable pollinator for these flowers.

*** Please forgive the use of the word "labellums", but "labella" seemed pretentious, and liable to confuse.

It has actually rained in Robertson (September 2013)

Well, by my records, the last time  we had decent rain in Robertson, was in the last week of June.
Since ten we have had 17 mm in July, and a mere 1.5 mm in August. At long last, we have had 21 mm over the last 3 days. It won't play "catch-up" but it is a start.

I had the pleasure of accompanying two British visitors and their Australian friends for an Orchid tour of the Southern Highlands on Saturday. They were Dr. Colin Scrutton, a retired Professor from Durham University and his wife Angela. They were accompanied by two Australians, John (another geologist) and Ross, an Orchid enthusiast. Colin had contacted me months ago, via the Internet, because he had Googled "Bird Orchids" and my Blog came up.

So we were on a promise - to find Illawarra Bird Orchids.

Illawarra Bird Orchid
Simpliglottis chlorantha

Fortunately, it was a successful mission. In fact, the season has been beneficial for many early flowering Orchids (late Winter, and early Spring seasons). I knew there were some in flower, but in fact we found literally hundreds of plants and at least a dozen in flower. Far more than I had ever seen before (even though the weather was not particularly favourable),

Illawarra Bird Orchid
Full plant (note the paired leaves and sandy soil).

As the visitors were staying on the Shoalhaven coast (could they have decided to stay further away?) I arranged to meet them at the base of Cambewarra Mountain. That way I could show them some of the other Orchids on that mountain.

Thelychiton epiphyticus
Tree version of the Sydney Rock Orchid
which has been re-classified as a separate species.

 My guests were very impressed with the next Orchids we looked at.

A magnificent tall spike of
Prasophyllum elatum

Close-up of Prasophyllum elatum
The Tall Leek Orchid
Note the pollinia dislodged from the flowers
but which were not stuck on an insect.
In the battle to achieve pollination
I would have to score this
Insects 2: Orchids 0 .

Next stop was Macquarie Pass.
I showed them the few remaining flowers where Alan and I had been the previous week, looking at remarkable colonies of Prasophyllum erecta, and Prasophyllum hildae. Even with very tired flowers, the size of these colonies was still impressive. I was able to show them some fresh flowers elsewhere on the Pass, so they could get decent photos of the hildae flowers.

And we moved on to Tourist Road, East Kangaloon to see the Pterostylis x ingens - a naturally occurring hybrid.

Pterostylis x ingens

In between those "highlights" we saw many other species as well - far too numerous to mention here.
At this stage, we decided to call it a day.

Yes, Yes, Yes - The Bird Orchids are starting!

Yes, Yes, Yes - The Bird Orchids are starting! I am talking about the Wollongong Bird Orchid, Simpliglottis chlorantha (Chiloglottis chlorantha).
You will note that, as against the 50 cent coin which is 33mm (or 1.5 inches) in diameter, the leaves of this plant are relatively large, well, at least broad, compared to the related Chiloglottis species. But the stem is very short indeed. The flower is a mere 3 cm high. But the bud shows it is going to be a relatively large flower. Contradictions all the way round.

For the botanically inclined amongst you, dear readers, these are traditionally placed in the same genus, Chiloglottis, as the Wasp Orchids (Chiloglottis), and the Ant Orchids (Myrmechila). It is these latter plants about which I wrote two days ago. Those plants are both much finer in flower size, but their flower structure is clearly similar. The column, which in the flower image I published two days ago (with the spider in it) was 3mm wide. This one is closer to 12mm wide. The entire flower is 25mm wide, whereas the previous flower was a mere 10mm wide (or high).

But the labellum is in the same position relative to the column, and the pollinia, as in those related plants. And importantly, the labellum has a similar structure of glands (called "osmophores") which are there to produce the scent which is what attracts male insect to pollinate these flowers. Slight differences between each species in these related plants, but the similarities are obvious. These glands look like red blobs of jelly, and the green ones are transparent, and look like "blisters" on the Labellum. The petals are held wide, and nearly flat, whereas on the Wasp Orchids, they are held pressed vertically against the stem of the flower. The "clubs" (lateral sepals) stick straight out in front of the flower. In the Ant Orchids they are held widely divergent from, but in a similar plane as the labellum, whereas in the Wasp Orchids they are reflexed and held low under the labellum. This botanical sketch will show you the similarities and differences within this group of flowers.

I was first told about these plants by David Jones, (formerly of CSIRO National Herbarium, in Canberra) who is credited with describing the species - so he should know. As with most careful Orchid experts, he told me where they grew, but only in a very general way - two years ago. I first found these plants in flower (well a single specimen, anyway), in late September last year. Today, I decided to check on them, as I recalled David Jones saying they flowered "early" in the Southern Highlands. And after all, some of the winter-flowering related plants are now flowering just 20 Kms away, on Macquarie Pass.

At first I found a number of leaves, then I found two advanced buds, (with a few other tiny ones just starting). I was preparing to leave the area, (intending to come back next weekend). However, I decided to do one more circuit.

Yes, Yes, Yes!
There is an open flower.
I punched my fist into my hand, and did a little jump!

Nobody was looking, so it's all right.

Hiding under a low-growing Banksia bush, there was indeed a fully opened flower. Of course, it was facing into the centre of the bush, making a good photo impossible, but, hey, who cares? Lets record the back of the flower first. The dorsal sepal is very wide, and the labellum (which is even wider) is in the far side of the flower from my camera. If you look low down, at the shadow, you will see how the two green central structures are in fact separate. The petals are held wide. In the related small flowered Ant and Wasp Orchids, the petals are totally reflexed, held vertically, pressed against the stem of the flower.

Denis - talking to himself again:
"Down on the hands and knees, Denis.
Roll over on your side. Brush some sticks out of the way.
Manual focus on. Click.
Black image. Damn.
Press the flash button. OK.
Focus not quite right.
Try again, and again, and again, and again."

This photo reminds me to tell you the origin of the common name: "Bird Orchid". The first of these plants was so named because it reminded the early botanist of a baby bird sticking its head back, with its beak held wide open, begging for food. Certainly the posture is right for that idea. Denis - talking to himself again:
"Now try around the side of the flower,
and for the next one, can we get a bit more straight on?
OK. That'll have to do.
This is ridiculous."

The underside of the flower (as seen in this shot) is distinctly reddish.

Compare the photos above with this photo of Chiloglottis sylvestris.
to confirm the similarities and differences between the Bird Orchid and the other Chiloglottis types, especially the way the lateral sepals are held tight against the stem, and the clubs are held very differently.

Denis - talking to himself again: "And then, before I leave, I may as well look on the other side of the road as well. A few more leaves, but no buds.

Then a few Greenhood leaves - tiny things, maybe Speculanthas. Take a few "location" shots as clues for next autumn."

Denis - talking to himself again: "And then, what's that? A few more Bird Orchid leaves, right out in an open position, in moss over a rock shelf. Quite different from the other side of the road. No flower buds, but its good to find so many plants of such an unusual flower."Denis - talking to himself again:
"Have you noticed - It is nearly dark, and it is cold.
Go home, Denis!"

"Little Dumpies" found (at last) on Mt Gibraltar

I have been told for several years that the oddly-named "Little Dumpies" Orchids grow on The Gib. The name is not very flattering, but the flower itself is quite handsome, in a Greenhoodish kind of way. It is a relatively large flower, a little heavy in the front end of the "hood", but on a short stem. That is the reason for both the common name, and its scientific name Diplodium (or Pterostylis) truncata.

Here is the Botanical illustration from PlantNET, (from the linked site above).

Here is one growing amongst native grasses, in a fairly open position.

I have searched "The Gib" for these plants for two years, but my friends Colin and Mischa, came up from Victoria this week, and they had seen them here previously, and knew what to look for, and more importantly where and when to look for them. As with all Greenhoods, these plants go dormant, and become impossible to find. They are hard enough to find, even when in flower, because they tend to grow amongst grasses and other small plants in little rock crevices.

Note the heavy front end of the "hood" and the very fine "points" or "ears".

Colin's camera lens adds a sense of scale.

Fron the front end, you can see the blunt hood.
This specimen had nice "points" either side of the hood.

After Colin and Mischa's success in finding this Greenhood, I showed them some other leaves of other Orchids which I had been monitoring for some time, but without ever finding flowers on them. We scoured the patch of dense grass where the leaves were, and Colin found a flower. It turns out to be a large "Wasp Orchid" - Chiloglottis trilabra.

Botanical illustration courtesy of PlantNET (from the linked site above).Note the "glands" on the labellum going almost to the fine end of the Labellum
Also note the Labellum has a central "tip" which is clearly illustrated above.
Sorry the photo is so dark. I shall take a better image soon and replace these.
(Click to enlarge the images)
From the side, you can see the Lateral Sepals hang more or less straight down.
They are neither "reflexed" (as is Ch. reflexa)
nor bent forward underneath the flower, as is Ch. diphylla

I say large, compared to most of the other species of "Wasp Orchids" I have seen in the Southern Highlands, but of course, it is small compared to the Simpliglottis chlorantha, one of a related group of plants, which have now been split off from the Chiloglottis, (for very good reasons, I believe). Those larger flowered plants are better known as "bird orchids".