Orchids of Australia
Australia is home to about 1,800 species of mostly terrestrial orchids. The south-east and south-west of the continent are particularly rich in species, with approximately 400 known orchid species occurring in south-western Australia alone. On this page I present some of the more common species of terrestrial orchids found throughout the temperate regions of Australia. Most of the featured species are endemic to Western Australia, but quite a few species from the south-east of the country are included as well.
Several of Australia’s orchid species look very similar and require an expert to tell apart. This is particularly the case with Spider Orchids (Caladenia), Donkey Orchids (Diuris), Mignonette Orchids (Microtis) and Greenhood Orchids (Pterostylis). The situation is complicated further by the large number of hybrids known to exist in the wild, in particular among the Spider Orchids. Hence, a few of the species below have been marked as “unidentified”.
Lastly, most of the orchid profiles below are still incomplete and only contain photos at this stage, but no descriptions. I’m not sure if I will ever find the time to complete them.
Genera
- Acianthus
- Caladenia (Spider Orchids)
- Caleana
- Calochilus (Beard Orchids)
- Corybas (Helmet Orchids)
- Cryptostylis
- Cyanicula (China Orchids)
- Cyrtostylis
- Dendrobium
- Dipodium (Hyacinth Orchids)
- Disa
- Diuris (Donkey Orchids)
- Drakaea (Hammer Orchids)
- Elythranthera (Enamel Orchids)
- Ericksonella
- Eriochilus (Bunny Orchids)
- Gastrodia
- Glossodia
- Leporella
- Leptoceras
- Lyperanthus
- Microtis (Mignonette Orchids)
- Orthoceras (Horned Orchids)
- Paracaleana (Duck Orchids)
- Pheladenia
- Praecoxanthus
- Prasophyllum (Leek Orchids)
- Pterostylis (Greenhood Orchids)
- Pyrorchis
- Spiculaea
- Thelymitra (Sun Orchids)
Genus Acianthus
(Acianthus caudatus)
(Acianthus exsertus)
Genus Caladenia – Spider Orchids
Subgenus Caladenia – Lady Fingers
(Caladenia catenata)
(Caladenia carnea)
Subgenus Elevatae – Fairy Orchids
(Caladenia flava)
(Caladenia latifolia)
(Caladenia reptans)
(Caladenia nana)
Subgenus Calonema – Spider Orchids
(Caladenia discoidea)
(Caladenia macrostylis)
(Caladenia drummondii)
(Caladenia longicauda)
(Caladenia splendens)
(Caladenia speciosa)
(Caladenia sp.)
(Caladenia citrina)
(Caladenia uliginosa)
(Caladenia excelsa)
(Caladenia nivalis)
(Caladenia ferruginea)
(Caladenia brownii)
(Caladenia lorea)
(Caladenia arenicola)
(Caladenia georgei)
(Caladenia thinicola)
(Caladenia procera)
(Caladenia paludosa)
(Caladenia applanata)
(Caladenia williamsiae)
(Caladenia rhomboidiformis)
(Caladenia ensata)
(Caladenia longiclavata)
(Caladenia magniclavata)
(Caladenia corynephora)
(Caladenia infundibularis)
(Caladenia falcata)
(Caladenia attingens)
(Caladenia integra)
(Caladenia roei)
(Caladenia hirta)
Subgenus Phlebochilus – Wispy Spider Orchids
(Caladenia nobilis)
(Caladenia vulgata)
(Caladenia pendens)
(Caladenia fluvialis)
(Caladenia sp.)
(Caladenia polychroma)
(Caladenia radialis)
(Caladenia xantha)
(Caladenia denticulata)
(Caladenia sp.)
(Caladenia sp.)
(Caladenia chapmanii)
(Caladenia filifera)
(Caladenia caesarea)
Hybrids
(Caladenia × spectabilis)
Caladenia flava × Caladenia reptans
(Caladenia × exserta)
(Caladenia × cala)
Caladenia arenicola × Caladenia longicauda
Caladenia arenicola × Caladenia georgei
Caladenia arenicola × Caladenia paludosa
Caladenia paludosa × Caladenia sp.
Caladenia attingens × Caladenia infundibularis
Caladenia thinicola × Caladenia sp.
Caladenia doutchiae × Caladenia roei
Caladenia carnea × Caladenia catenata
Genus Caleana
(Caleana major)
Genus Calochilus – Beard Orchids
(Calochilus campestris)
(Calochilus paludosus)
(Calochilus robertsonii)
(Calochilus gracillimus)
(Calochilus sp.)
(Calochilus stramenicola)
Genus Corybas – Helmet Orchids
(Corybas recurvus)
(Corybas barbarae)
Genus Cryptostylis
(Cryptostylis ovata)
(Cryptostylis subulata)
(Cryptostylis erecta)
Genus Cyanicula
(Cyanicula gemmata)
(Cyanicula gertrudiae)
(Cyanicula sp. ‘Dale’)
(Cyanicula sericea)
Genus Cyrtostylis
(Cyrtostylis huegelii)
Genus Dendrobium
(Dendrobium speciosum)
Genus Dipodium – Hyacinth Orchids
(Dipodium variegatum)
(Dipodium roseum)
Genus Disa
(Disa bracteata)
Genus Diuris – Donkey Orchids
(Diuris brumalis)
(Diuris corymbosa)
(Diuris brachyscapa)
(Diuris recurva)
(Diuris tinkeri)
(Diuris magnifica)
(Diuris longifolia)
(Diuris jonesii)
(Diuris tinctoria)
(Diuris sp.)
(Diuris sp.)
(Diuris sp.)
(Diuris sp.)
(Diuris laxiflora)
(Diuris decrementa)
(Diuris sp. ‘Augusta’)
Genus Drakaea – Hammer Orchids
(Drakaea glyptodon)
(Drakaea thynniphila)
(Drakaea gracilis)
(Drakaea livida)
Hybrids
Genus Elythranthera – Enamel Orchids
(Elythranthera brunonis)
(Elythranthera emarginata)
Hybrids
(Elythranthera × intermedia)
Genus Ericksonella
(Ericksonella saccharata)
Genus Eriochilus – Bunny Orchids
(Eriochilus dilatatus)
(Eriochilus helonomos)
(Eriochilus sp.)
Genus Gastrodia
(Gastrodia lacista)
(Gastrodia sesamoides)
Genus Glossodia
(Glossodia minor)
Genus Leporella
(Leporella fimbriata)
Genus Leptoceras
(Leptoceras menziesii)
Genus Lyperanthus
(Lyperanthus serratus)
Genus Microtis – Mignonette Orchids
(Microtis media)
(Microtis atrata)
(Microtis parviflora)
Genus Orthoceras – Horned Orchids
(Orthoceras strictum)
Genus Paracaleana – Duck Orchids
(Paracaleana minor)
(Paracaleana lyonsii)
(Paracaleana nigrita)
(Paracaleana hortiorum)
(Paracaleana triens)
(Paracaleana brockmanii)
(Paracaleana alcockii)
(Paracaleana granitica)
(Paracaleana gracilicordata)
Genus Pheladenia
(Pheladenia deformis)
Genus Praecoxanthus
(Praecoxanthus aphyllus)
Genus Prasophyllum – Leek Orchids
(Prasophyllum fimbria)
(Prasophyllum brownii)
(Prasophyllum giganteum)
(Prasophyllum hians)
(Prasophyllum gracile)
(Prasophyllum plumiforme)
(Prasophyllum ovale)
(Prasophyllum cyphochilum)
(Prasophyllum parvifolium)
(Prasophyllum sp.)
Genus Pterostylis – Greenhood Orchids
Subgenus Pterostylis
Section Pterostylis
(Pterostylis nutans)
(Pterostylis hispidula)
(Pterostylis erecta)
Section Foliosae – Snail Orchids and Shell Orchids
(Pterostylis dilatata)
(Pterostylis pyramidalis)
(Pterostylis sp. ‘short sepals’)
(Pterostylis glebosa)
(Pterostylis ectypha)
(Pterostylis sp. ‘inland’)
(Pterostylis sp. ‘crinkled leaf’)
(Pterostylis sp.)
(Pterostylis hamiltonii)
(Pterostylis aspera)
(Pterostylis grandiflora)
Subgenus Oligochaetochilus
Section Catochilus – Bird Orchids
(Pterostylis barbata)
(Pterostylis galgula)
(Pterostylis turfosa)
Section Oligochaetochilus – Rufous Greenhoods
(Pterostylis ciliata)
(Pterostylis perculta)
Section Stamnorchis – Jug Orchid
(Pterostylis recurva)
Section Urochilus – Banded Greenhoods
(Pterostylis vittata)
(Pterostylis sanguinea)
(Pterostylis orbiculata)
(Pterostylis concava)
(Pterostylis atrosanguinea)
(Pterostylis sp. ‘northern’)
(Pterostylis sp.)
(Pterostylis sargentii)
Section Squamatae
(Pterostylis longifolia)
Genus Pyrorchis
(Pyrorchis nigricans)
Genus Spiculaea
(Spiculaea ciliata)
Genus Thelymitra – Sun Orchids
(Thelymitra ixioides)
(Thelymitra crinita)
(Thelymitra macrophylla)
(Thelymitra graminea)
(Thelymitra petrophila)
(Thelymitra sp. ‘Murchison’)
(Thelymitra frenchii)
(Thelymitra vulgaris)
(Thelymitra latiloba)
(Thelymitra apiculata)
(Thelymitra variegata)
(Thelymitra pulcherrima)
(Thelymitra maculata)
(Thelymitra flexuosa)
(Thelymitra antennifera)
(Thelymitra villosa)
(Thelymitra sargentii)
(Thelymitra benthamiana)