Hi all --

More orchid pics this edition – actually it’s an Orchid edition –

And welcome to the many new subscribers. – thanks to all those who leave comments on the blogalong – as you can see I haven’t had much time to comment back in most instances, however I do value your comments –

Since the last blogalong, it has been Sun Orchid time.

The Sun Orchids require precise climatic situations to flower – well, for the flower to open up, that is.

Opening of the flower is dependant on temperature, sunshine, and wind chill. Once the temperature just above the base of the plant reaches about 20 degrees Celsius, and the flowering height reaches about 22 degrees, if the flower is in direct sunshine, it will open.

If the climatic conditions during the week that the flowers are due to open does not suit, the flowers will not open, and self pollinate.

The window of opportunity to have insect pollination is a few hours at most with the species in Wyong Shire, but the extraordinary sweet fragrance of the open flower attracts moths and wasps and other insects to the flower to assist pollination.

I managed to get a couple of good shots if this insect crawling over Thelymitra angustifolia --

Thelymitra angustifolia is one of the species that was separated from the Thelymitra pauciflora /nuda complex a few years ago.

It is a small flowered Sun Orchid, being found in small populations in some areas of the Shire.

Thelymitra aff angustifolia

At the moment, this plant is being lumped into Thelymitra angustifolia by the orchid taxonomists, despite distinct differences. The column tip is always yellow, with no dark base of the tip. The fragrance from this plant is something a Parisian perfumer would die for – absolutely stunning, and strong, as opposed to the type species which has little perfume, if any.

When the shire Orchid Survey was done, this plant had been identified as T. pauciflora, but since the revision of the species, angustifolia and its close relatives have been separated out, creating the need for another survey targeting Thelymitra to assess the various populations of these Thelymitra in the Shire.

Research on the Calochilus robertsonii populations of the shire has been full on for a few weeks now, with the species almost finished flowering now.

Above is the type species, below is the Wyong Golden form.

This form seems to grow independently, but in the same localized environment that supports the fungus necessary for Calochilus growth.

Other Bearded Orchid species found within this fungus zone are Calochilus paludosus, [ below ]

and Calochilus campestris ----

Now back to the Sun orchids.

About a month before the Thelymitra taxonomic revision was complete, actually, as it was being written up, I supplied some of the different Thelymitra specimens to the Melbourne Botanical gardens, where the research was being undertaken.

Amongst the specimens were a couple that stood out as deserving species status – Thelymitra adorata, and this one, the Chain Valley Thely.

Enough funding and time was found to do the taxonomy on the adorata, but not on the Chain Valley Thely.

Some discussion between the Orchid Taxonomists ensued, with one thinking the plant had an affinity to Thelymitra ixioides, which is present in the area, and another taxonomist thought it was affinity purpurata.

Thelymitra purpurata has not been officially recognised in the shire, and is presently known at Myall lakes as the south of range.

As Myall is some hundreds of kilometers north, I consider it unlikely that purpurata has any influence in this plant, and considering the ixioides in the shire have all finished by weeks when the Chain Valley Thely starts flowering, it is unlikely that ixioides is in the equation either.

Specimens and gps locations of all known colonies of this plant have been taken this past week, and prepared for addition to the Royal Botanical Gardens collection in Sydney.

6 locations have been found within the Shire, with 15 plants being located this season.

Highly threatened, endangered applications for this plant are being prepared, as it is in extreme danger of becoming extinct if the factors threatening its survival are not ceased.

Caladenia porphyrea, the Majenta orchid –

This is a new location find of a known Endangered species, Caladenia porphyrea.

During my research on Thelymitra adorata this season, I became aware of a new location of orchids, one that I had looked at during the Shire Orchid Survey, and had found little Orchid activity, probably due to the lack of rain the year the Shire orchid Survey was done.

Barry Collier, a well known, in demand, retired botanist, had found the orchids in a reserve, and noticed a similarity to Thelymitra adorata.

When I went to look, I found Thelymitra sp Chain Valley Thely, Caladenia porphyrea, Caladenia aff catenata var Warnervalensis, and the following plant, Caladenia aff fuscata, being the third population of this species ever found.

This land was a proposed housing estate when I first surveyed it, now it is a closed estate, with a lot of bushland reserve left within the estate.

The orchid populations are in good condition, are being preserved, and in some cases, expanding in population size due to maintenance procedures.