Table Of ContentGUIDE TO NATIVE ORCHIDS
OF VICTORIA
GARY N. BACKHOUSE
GUIDE TO NATIVE ORCHIDS
OF VICTORIA
GARY N. BACKHOUSE
© Gary Backhouse 2023 CSIRO Publishing publishes and distributes
scientific, technical and health science books,
All rights reserved. Except under the conditions
magazines and journals from Australia to a
described in the Australian Copyright Act 1968 and
worldwide audience and conducts these activities
subsequent amendments, no part of this
autonomously from the research activities of the
publication may be reproduced, stored in a
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research
retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by
Organisation (CSIRO). The views expressed in this
any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
publication are those of the author(s) and do not
recording, duplicating or otherwise, without the
necessarily represent those of, and should not be
prior permission of the copyright owner. Contact
attributed to, the publisher or CSIRO. The
CSIRO Publishing for all permission requests.
copyright owner shall not be liable for technical or
Gary Backhouse asserts his right to be known as other errors or omissions contained herein. The
the author of this work. reader/user accepts all risks and responsibility for
losses, damages, costs and other consequences
A catalogue record for this book is available from
resulting directly or indirectly from using this
the National Library of Australia.
information.
ISBN: 9781486316854 (pbk)
CSIRO acknowledges the Traditional Owners of
ISBN: 9781486316861 (epdf)
the lands that we live and work on across Australia
ISBN: 9781486316878 (epub)
and pays its respect to Elders past and present.
How to cite: CSIRO recognises that Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Backhouse GN (2023) Guide to Native Orchids of Islander peoples have made and will continue to
Victoria. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne. make extraordinary contributions to all aspects of
Australian life including culture, economy and
Published by:
science. CSIRO is committed to reconciliation and
CSIRO Publishing demonstrating respect for Indigenous knowledge
Private Bag 10 and science. The use of Western science in this
Clayton South VIC 3169 publication should not be interpreted as
Australia diminishing the knowledge of plants, animals and
environment from Indigenous ecological
Telephone: +61 3 9545 8400
knowledge systems.
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.publish.csiro.au The paper this book is printed on is in accordance
Sign up to our email alerts: publish.csiro.au/ with the standards of the Forest Stewardship
earlyalert Council® and other controlled material. The FSC®
promotes environmentally responsible, socially
Front cover: (top) Dipodium pardalinum (photo by
beneficial and economically viable management of
Gary N. Backhouse); (bottom, left to right)
the world’s forests.
Thelymitra alpicola, Caladenia major, Thelymitra
matthewsii (photos by Gary N. Backhouse)
Back cover: (left to right) Caladenia clavigera,
Sarcochilus falcatus, Diuris behrii (photos by Gary
N. Backhouse)
Edited by Joy Window (Living Language)
Cover design by Cath Pirret
Typeset by Envisage Information Technology
Printed in Singapore by COS Printers Pte Ltd
Sept22_01
Contents
Reader notes iv
Acknowledgements vi
Photographic credits vii
Abbreviations viii
Diversity, biology and ecology 1
Species profiles 5
Hybrid orchids 302
Glossary 308
Further reading 310
Index of scientific names 311
Index of common names 316
iii
Reader notes
Victoria has an extraordinary diversity of similar species are generally grouped
wild orchids, in what is the second smallest together so their diagnostic features can be
Australian state. When my colleague Jeff more readily compared. A brief account of
Jeanes and I published our first book on each genus is provided, including the
the orchids of Victoria, way back in 1995, number of species in the genus, distribution
that book covered just 260 species. At the and the key character features that serve to
time, that seemed like a pretty substantial identify the genus. Each species account
number of orchids. In the almost 30 years commences with the current scientific
since then, interest in and understanding name, followed by a single common name,
of our wild orchids, at both amateur and generally following names either published
professional levels, has increased markedly. in other orchid (or general flora) books or
This has resulted in almost 200 species maintained on herbarium checklists or
being added to the Victorian orchid list databases. Some common names are well
since 1995, through discovery and known from long usage, while others are
descriptions of new species and range new, reflecting the recent description of
extensions from neighbouring states into new species.
Victoria. Excitingly, new orchid discoveries For each orchid species, a brief
in Victoria continue to be made each year. Description is provided, beginning with size
Orchid diversity in Victoria spans some of the orchid and then a summary of the
of the smallest to some of the largest orchids flower (and sometimes leaf) features by
in Australia, from the minute Mallacoota which the orchid can be identified. This is
Midge Orchid, with flowers just 2 mm not meant to be a comprehensive botanical
across, to the large King Orchid, with big description of each species, but rather
plants having hundreds of fragrant flowers concentrates on those key features of the
and weighing many kilograms. There is orchid that will aid its identification.
much to appreciate in the diversity and Therefore the information for some readily
beauty of our native orchids. Despite several identifiable species is fairly brief, while in
decades of searching, and with many others, especially those members of species
thousands of kilometres travelled across complexes in which identification can be
Victoria, I have yet to see every orchid difficult, the information is more detailed.
species occurring in the state. Of course, For the majority of orchid species, the
this means that there is always another field combination of flower form (and in some
trip to plan, another area to explore and cases, the leaf), time of flowering,
another orchid species to see. distribution and habitat preferences, when
In this book, orchid genera are placed in all considered together, make an
alphabetical order. Within the larger genera, identification relatively straightforward. The
iv
ReadeR notes
section concludes with the months of the genera such as Caladenia and Pterostylis at
year in which the species flowers. For those the genus and species levels; both of these
species with a broad altitudinal range, a have been split and then regrouped to
flowering period of several months may be varying degrees in recent years, and with
indicated, but this covers the altitudinal further changes likely. This will no doubt
range of the species, with plants flowering at confuse, annoy and probably irritate some
different times at different altitudes. Then readers. The species that have been
follows Distribution & Habitat, which recognised in this work are based on
provides a brief description of distribution in research papers, other books, published
New South Wales and the Australian Capital checklists and my interpretation of these
Territory, followed by altitudinal range, brief works, backed up by field observations by
notes on habitat, and its occurrence in other myself and other orchid enthusiasts. Many
Australian states and territories and overseas unnamed orchids that have been recognised
(if applicable). A distribution map for all as distinct are included in this work, and
species is included. Each orchid species designated by the genus followed by a
treatment concludes with Notes, which species ‘tag name’. Additionally, a number of
includes information on abundance and, in new species were named or new name
many cases, similar species with which the combinations proposed in A Complete
subject orchid could be confused, and how Guide to Native Orchids of Australia (3rd
the similar species differ. It is important to edition) by David Jones (published in 2021),
note that the information provided under although these new names and name
‘Description’ and ‘Distribution & Habitat’ combinations have not yet been formally
uses the 90% rule; that is, 90% of a published. As these names are now in the
population could be expected to fall within public domain, I have used them in this
the parameters specified under these book, with the designation ‘ms’ (meaning a
headings, recognising that a few plants may manuscript name) after the relevant species
fall outside these parameters. name. The result is a book that covers 447
As many readers well know, orchid species of wild orchids in Victoria.
taxonomy is an ongoing issue, especially Whatever your perspective, I hope you
with several different and competing enjoy the product of these endeavours and,
naming schemes available for Australian more importantly, enjoy seeing our
orchid genera and even species. There is wonderful native orchids in the wild for
currently no single, widely accepted list of many years to come.
orchid genera that has agreement among all
the Australian state and territory herbaria. I Gary Backhouse, Mallacoota,
have had to make some decisions on the Victoria, Australia
highly controversial issue of taxonomy of February 2022
v
Acknowledgements
Preparing a comprehensive book on the Wendy Probert, Noushka Reiter, Linda
orchids of Victoria would simply not have and Peter Rogan, Dean Rouse, Colin and
been possible without the willing and Mischa Rowan, Kerry Seaton, Russell
enthusiastic participation of many friends Stanley, Richard Thomson, James Turner,
and colleagues who all share a passion for and Mary and Patrick Ward, who all
Australia’s wild orchids. My thanks to Neil helped with field trips, locality or specimen
Anderton, Jacquie and Len Axen, Cam information.
Beardsell, Andrew Bould, Geoff Carr, Len Special thanks to Colin Bower, Mark
and Marie-Josée Carrigan, Eileen Collins, Clements, Jeff Jeanes, David Jones, Bill
Mike Duncan, John Eichler, Chris Findlay, Kosky and Dean Rouse, who provided
Everett and Margaret Foster, Garry considerable information on locations and
French, Alan Gibb, Andrew Green, Lyn discussion on orchid taxonomy.
Harwood, Glen Johnson, Peter Kiernan, Guide to Native Orchids of Victoria is a
Graeme Lorimer, Russell Mawson, companion volume to Guide to Native
Margaret McDonald, Adam Merrick, Orchids of NSW & ACT (CSIRO Publishing,
Adrian and Myra Morton, Geoff Nevill, 2022), which I co-wrote with Lachlan
Lois and Max Phillips, Dave Pitts, Gail Copeland. There is some overlap of content
Pollard, Andrew Pritchard, Ryan Phillips, between the two guides where relevant.
vi
Photographic credits
My thanks to the following friends and McCauley, June Niejalke, Wendy Probert,
colleagues who willingly supplied Irene Spokes and Russell Stanley.
photographs of orchids for inclusion in this The photographers are also
book: Geoff Carr, Andrew Dilley, Mike acknowledged in the captions for their
Duncan, Chris Hall, Bill Kosky, Peter photographs.
vii
Abbreviations
X or × – in a plant name, denotes a hybrid Qld – Queensland
ACT – Australian Capital Territory s – south/southern
Aust. – Australia SA – South Australia
AVH – The Australasian Virtual Herbarium se – south-east/south eastern
(https://avh.ala.org.au) subsp. – subspecies
c – central sw – south-west/south western
e – east/eastern Tas. – Tasmania
n – north/northern Vic. – Victoria
ne – north-east/north eastern w – west/western
NSW – New South Wales WA – Western Australia
nw – north-west/north-western
viii
Diversity, biology and ecology
The State of Victoria lies in the south-east including Burnettia, Dipodium, Gastrodia
corner of the Australian mainland and and Thynninorchis, are leafless throughout
covers an area of about 227 000 km2, which their growth cycle, lack chlorophyll and are
is just 3% of the area of Australia. Within completely dependent on a relationship
this small land area, Victoria has a wider with an underground mycorrhizal fungus
range of broad ecosystem types than any that they parasitise for all their nutrients.
area of comparable size in Australia. This Although sometimes referred to as being
habitat diversity is also reflected in the saprophytes, these orchids are correctly
orchid flora, with at least 447 species in 29 termed myco-heterotrophs. Most terrestrial
genera occurring in Victoria. This comprises orchids have one to many basal leaves that
~22% of Australia’s estimated 2000 species are shed seasonally. The evergreen epiphytic
of wild orchids, and makes Victoria one of and lithophytic orchids have leaves
the richest areas in the world for its diversity throughout their growth cycle, with older
of temperate terrestrial orchids. This leaves periodically shed as new leaves
number includes 381 formally named develop.
species and 66 unnamed species. However, The form of Victoria’s orchids is
323 species (72% of Victoria’s orchids) extremely varied, with plants ranging in size
occur in just four genera: Pterostylis with from a few centimetres to well over a metre
102 species, Caladenia with 100 species, in height, and flower size ranging from just
Prasophyllum with 76 species and 2 mm across to several with petals and
Thelymitra with 45 species. About 190 sepals to 10 cm or more in length, amongst
species (43%) of Victoria’s orchids are the largest of any flowering plant in
endemic or near-endemic to Victoria. The Australia. Flowers can be resupinate, in
native orchids of Victoria can be divided which the dorsal sepal is above the column
into two broad groups. The vast majority and labellum, or inverted, in which the
(442 species) are seasonal, deciduous (or dorsal sepal is below the column and
leafless) geophytes that are rooted in the labellum. The labellum (a highly modified
ground (also called terrestrial orchids) and third petal) can vary from small, simple
have a dormant phase during part of the and rounded to relatively large, distinctly
year. The remaining five species are lobed and complex, and is adorned with
evergreen epiphytes (growing on trees) or calli and sometimes marginal teeth. Leaf
lithophytes (growing on rocks). and flower form specific to each genus are
All orchids have a complex relationship further detailed in the text for that genus.
with mycorrhizal fungi that they require for Some species have just a single flower, while
seed germination and sometimes for active others have an inflorescence bearing up to
growth. Several genera of terrestrial orchids, 100 flowers. Most deciduous terrestrial
1
