Autumnal Orchids

Eriochilus meadow with waratah in middle distance and radiatas beyond

 part of the Eriochilus meadow

Pterostylis spp. aff. parviflora (large red-brown)

I was walking Billy the dog around Blackheath and came across this lovely orchid meadow under a stand of old radiatas and cypress. The radiatas are spaced far enough apart for light to get in and for a sparse ground cover to grow including a collection of native grasses and many other small growing natives. The area is mowed periodically and this year has favoured the orchids. The Eriochilus first caught my eye and then on closer inspection I found two species of Greenhood (Pterostylis) orchids and the long green leaves of what might be Caliochilus.

Pterostylis coccina coming up through a small Poa sp. along with the leaves of another orchid to the front.

P. coccina taken with a flower lens

The identification of the Eriochilus depends somewhat on the leaf being hairy or not and I don’t now have that information but I am fairly confident that it is Eriochilus autumnalis.

Eriochilus autumnalis (Parson’s Bands)