Australia So Much to See
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Sources used for identification of wildflowers shown on these pages and regions where they occur see Credits
These pages will
feature some of the wildflowers we have photographed in Western Australia, and where possible, identified. If you
are able to help identify further flowers, or correct any I may have wrong, please contact us.
Information given for each species
will give botanical name, known common names, describe the flower, give time of year it flowered, and where it was photographed, and
the areas it occurs in. Names have been matched to Florabase which has also been used to show distribution.
See some
of these wildflower in larger sized photos on our Flickr pages.
Cryptostylis ovata, Slipper Orchid, Tongue Orchid, Djubac (which applied to a number of orchid species with edible tubers.
From
an abundance of perennial pointed orchid leaves which sit semi upright rather than flat on the ground and have a white line down
the centre, only some will flower. Flowers are green or cream and insignificant with five thin petals from the base of the labellum,
with the obvious part being the reddish brown labellum (tongue) which is upside-down compared to most other orchids. This
labellum has a net-like pattern in dark maroon-red.
There are multiple flowers up the stem, opening progressively, with
only two or three being open at the same time. Flower stalks can reach well over a metre in height. Flowers above
showing the under-side (top) of the labellum, looking into the centre of the flower. Column at flower centre on above left.
November-May, with some plants having a very long flowering season as flowers open up the stem.
Bridgetown, South West region, Western
Australia and found around Perth, through much of the South West and in the lower Great Southern regions.
Cyanicula sericea, Silky Blue Orchid
A shiny blue or purple five petalled orchid, around four to five centimetres across. Hairy
leaf shown below left.
Late September/October
Bridgetown, and found through the South West, Great Southern, Perth, and
into the Wheatbelt regions, and along the south coast to Esperance.
Cyanicula gemmata, Blue China Orchid
A small blue five petalled orchid, around 1.5 centimetres across. Colours of petal
and labellum vary. Hairy leaf shown below above right
September
Bridgetown and Tonebridge (Boyup Brook), and found through the
Mid West, Wheatbelt, Perth, South West, Great Southern regions, and along the south coast to Esperance.
Crypto means hidden and stylis refers to the style, being the stalk between the ovary and the stigma which collects the pollen. This is hidden underneath the big red tongue or labellum, as the flower is upside-down, with the flower petals being the narrow green
ones at the base of the labellum.
Ovata means egg shaped, and usually refers to the leaves. Cryptostylis ovata is
the only orchid in the southern parts of Western Australia to have perennial foliage. They are easily identified due to a central
white line.
Like a number of Western Australian orchids, the shape and scent are to fool the pollinator wasp into thinking
it is a female wasp.