Orchids of Western Australia

Among the many wildflower

Wildflower

A wildflower is a flower that grows wild, meaning it was not intentionally seeded or planted. Yet "wildflower" meadows of a few mixed species are sold in seed packets. The term "wildflower" has been made vague by commercial seedsmen who are interested in selling more flowers or seeds more...

s in Western Australia

Western Australia

Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...

, there are around 450 species of orchids.

Early identifications

One of the first botanists to study Western Australia was Archibald Menzies

Archibald Menzies

Archibald Menzies was a Scottish surgeon, botanist and naturalist.- Life and career :Menzies was born at Easter Stix in the parish of Weem, in Perthshire. While working with his elder brother William at the Royal Botanic Gardens, he drew the attention of Dr John Hope, professor of botany at...

, aboard HMS Discovery

HMS Discovery (1789)

HMS Discovery was a Royal Navy ship launched in 1789 and best known as the lead ship in George Vancouver's exploration of the west coast of North America in his famous 1791-1795 expedition. She was converted to a bomb vessel in 1798 and participated in the Battle of Copenhagen. Thereafter she...

, who explored King George Sound

King George Sound

King George Sound is the name of a sound on the south coast of Western Australia. Located at , it is the site of the city of Albany.The sound covers an area of and varies in depth from to ....

 in 1791. Many of the samples (including orchids) were lost in the return to England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

, but those that did survive were documented in Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen

Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen

Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen is an 1810 flora of Australia by botanist Robert Brown. Often referred to as Prodromus Flora Novae Hollandiae, or by its standard botanical abbreviation Prodr. Fl. Nov. Holland., it was the first attempt at a survey of the Australian flora...

, published by Robert Brown

Robert Brown (botanist)

Robert Brown was a Scottish botanist and palaeobotanist who made important contributions to botany largely through his pioneering use of the microscope...

 in 1810.

The first three orchids from Western Australia to be named were Caladenia menziesii (named after Menzies), Caladenia flava

Caladenia flava

The Cowslip Orchid or Butter Orchid is species of orchid found across Southwest Australia.- Description :...

, and Diuris longifolia.

In 1802 Robert Brown himself collected 500 specimens of flora from Western Australia, including:

• Diuris emarginata var. emarginata
• Diuris emarginata var. pauciflora
• Diuris setacea
• Epiblima grandiflorum
• Microtis alba
• Microtis media
  Microtis media
  Microtis media is a herbaceous plant of the family Orchidaceae. It is found in Western Australia, and informally known as the Tall - or Common - Mignonette Orchid or Middle-sized Microtis.- Description :...
  
  
• Microtis pulchella
• Prasophyllum gibossum
• Prasophyllum macrostachyum
• Thelymitra canaliculata
• Thelymitra tigrina
• Thelymitra fuscolutea

In West Australian Orchids (1930), Emily Pelloe

Emily Pelloe

Emily Harriet Pelloe was a botanical illustrator, and author of books, of the flowering plants of Western Australia...

 described and illustrated an extensive survey. She provided an English text, paintings, and drawings for the amateur reader, a mixture of impression and scientific illustration of the genera.

Orchids of South Western Australia

Common name	Genus	No. species in southwest W.A.	Remarks
Babe-in-a-cradle	Epiblema Epiblema Epiblema is a genus of moths belonging to the subfamily Olethreutinae of the family Tortricidae.-Species:*Epiblema abruptana *Epiblema absconditana *Epiblema acceptana...	2
Beak orchids	Burnettia Burnettia Burnettia is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae.- References :*Pridgeon, A.M., Cribb, P.J., Chase, M.A. & Rasmussen, F. eds. . Genera Orchidacearum 1. Oxford Univ. Press....	2
Beard orchids	Calochilus Calochilus Calochilus is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae.- References :*Pridgeon, A.M., Cribb, P.J., Chase, M.A. & Rasmussen, F. eds. . Genera Orchidacearum 1. Oxford Univ. Press....	3
Blue orchids	Cyanicula Cyanicula Cyanicula is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae.- References :*Pridgeon, A.M., Cribb, P.J., Chase, M.A. & Rasmussen, F. eds. . Genera Orchidacearum 1. Oxford Univ. Press....	9
Bunny orchids	Eriochilus Eriochilus Eriochilus is a genus of orchids that is endemic to AustraliaSpecies occur in south-west Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, and Tasmania. They include:...	6
Donkey orchid	Diuris Diuris Diuris is a genus of herbaceous plant belonging to the orchid family , with more than fifty described species. The genus is presently being revised, with many newly described species....	21
Dragon orchid	Drakonorchis	4
Duck orchids	Paracaleana	5
Elbow orchid	Spiculaea Spiculaea Spiculaea is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae.- References :*Pridgeon, A.M., Cribb, P.J., Chase, M.A. & Rasmussen, F. eds. . Genera Orchidacearum 1. Oxford Univ. Press....	1
Enamel orchids	Elythranthera Elythranthera Elythranthera is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae.- References :*Pridgeon, A.M., Cribb, P.J., Chase, M.A. & Rasmussen, F. eds. . Genera Orchidacearum 1. Oxford Univ. Press....	2
Greenhoods	Pterostylis Pterostylis Pterostylis is a terrestrial deciduous genus of some 100 or so species of orchids found mainly in New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea and New Caledonia. The common name of this orchid is Greenhood - a number of species have green flowers with the dorsal sepal forming a "hood" over the rest of...	45?
Hammer orchids	Drakaea Drakaea Drakaea is an endangered genus of orchid that is native to Australia. Orchids in this genus are commonly called "Hammer Orchids". The common name refers to the shape of the orchid, and the way it moves, resembling a hammer...	9
Hare orchid	Leporella Leporella Leporella is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae.- References :*Pridgeon, A.M., Cribb, P.J., Chase, M.A. & Rasmussen, F. eds. . Genera Orchidacearum 1. Oxford Univ. Press....	1
Helmet orchids	Corybas Corybas Corybas is the son of Iasion and the goddess Cybele, who gave his name to the Corybantes , or dancing priests of Phrygia. The Korybantes were associated with Orpheus, another son of Apollo and a Mousa, founder of the closely related Orphic Mysteries.According to Diodorus Siculus:This wedding of...	4
Leafless orchid	Praecoxanthus	1
Leek orchids	Prasophyllum Prasophyllum Prasophyllum is a genus in the orchid family . Species of this genus are commonly called "Leek Orchids". There is no designated type species. Prasophyllum australe R.Br...	24
Mignonette orchids	Microtis Microtis Microtis is a small genus in the orchid family Orchidaceae.- Description :These orchids occur from South China to Japan, Australia , New Zealand and the south west Pacific, in grassland and scrub....	9	also Onion orchid
Mosquito orchids	Cyrtostylis Cyrtostylis Cyrtostylis is a genus of orchid.The genus was first described by Robert Brown in his Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae , the type specimen for the genus was Cyrtostylis reniformis...	3
Potato orchids	Gastrodia Gastrodia Gastrodia is a genus of achlorophyllous orchid with about 40 species. It is a traditional Chinese herb, Tian Ma ， and is commonly used in China to treat hypertension, improve circulation and resolve headaches...	1	also Bell orchid
Pygmy orchids	Genoplesium Genoplesium Genoplesium is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae.- References :*Pridgeon, A.M., Cribb, P.J., Chase, M.A. & Rasmussen, F. eds. . Genera Orchidacearum 1. Oxford Univ. Press....	1
Rabbit orchid	Leptoceras Leptoceras Leptoceras is a monotypic genus of orchid found throughout southern states of Australia, its single species is Leptoceras menziesii. It is found in large colonies, each plant reaching a height of between 100 to 300 mm. The flowers appear between September and November, especially after a...	1
Rattle beaks	Lyperanthus Lyperanthus Lyperanthus is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae.- References :*Pridgeon, A.M., Cribb, P.J., Chase, M.A. & Rasmussen, F. eds. . Genera Orchidacearum 1. Oxford Univ. Press....	2
Slipper orchids	Cryptostylis Cryptostylis Cryptostylis is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. It was first defined by the prolific Scottish botanist, Robert Brown in 1810. The type species has since been designated as Cryptostylis erecta. Other species include Cryptostylis hunteriana and Cryptostylis subulata...	1	also Tongue orchid
South African orchids	Monadenia Monadenia Monadenia is a genus of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Monadeniidae.Snails in this genus create and use love darts as part of their mating behavior.-Species:...	1	introduced
Spider orchids	Caladenia Caladenia The genus Caladenia belongs to the subfamily Orchidoideae of the orchid family . The abbreviation Calda. is often used in trade journals to indicate the genus....	120
Sun orchids	Thelymitra Thelymitra Thelymitra is a genus of orchids known as 'sun orchids' in reference to their habit of only opening in warm weather.- Description :They are about 100 species distributed in higher rainfall areas across Australia , New Zealand , New Caledonia , Timor, Java, and the Philippines.The type species is...	30?
Underground orchids	Rhizanthella Rhizanthella Rhizanthella, commonly known as underground orchids, is a small epiparasitic, achlorophyllous, subterranean genus of orchid endemic native to Australia. It is abbreviated in trade journals as Rhi....	2

• This table has its source as the Second Edition of Hoffman and Brown in 1992

External links

• The Species Orchid Society of Western Australia (Inc) — a gallery of orchids from Western Australia
• Orchids from Western and South Australia
• Terrestrial orchids of the south west western australia
• Orchid Conservation Coalition