The Elbow Orchid Spiculaea ciliata is a remarkable plant, which flowers from November to January by storing water in its fleshy stem. I recently learnt about it while perusing Narrogin Herbarium specimens, and was assured that I could find them amongst pincushion plants on Yilliminning Rock. The rock was beautiful after recent rain until the delightful discovery of a champagne cork and a condom prompted me to move away from 4WD areas to a surprising display of late season flowers in more protected places.
After a long time crawling over very prickly plants, I found a single insignificant orchid. You have to be a masochist or an orchid enthusiast to do this. Probably both.
Having said that the orchid is highly evolved and intricate. The insect-like labellum that emits a pheromone to attract male Thynnid wasps. The males normally pick up flightless females and deposit them on a flower before mating. As the labellum is attached by a weak hinge, when the male tries to lift his “mate”, it swings up and is held by the mantis-like wings (note serrations) to pollinate and collect more pollen as it struggles to free itself.

Greetings fellow Foxies,
                                     Sun orchids have their name because most of them only open when the sun is shining. Many of them flower in late spring when insects are more active, and their sun trick reduces moisture loss when there are less insects
Sun orchids differ from other orchids in having conventionally shaped petals and sepals but the column that contains the anthers and stigma is highly modified and adorned with wings and glands that probably attract pollinating insects. Thelymitra is derived from Greek words for ‘woman’s hood’. For more information see this blog.
The scented sun orchid and leopard orchid (in good seasons) flower in Foxes lair in October.
Check out the fabulous SUN ORCHID display (scented and shy sun orchids) next to Foxes Lair. mid-September to early-November depending on the season.
here are some good spots to see other sun orchids in the district
Leopard orchid Thelymitra benthamiana. Try Foxes Lair. For those prepared to drive on gravel tracks Borgey Block.
Custard orchid Thelymitra villosa. Yornaning dam reserve.
Wandoo sun orchid. Thelymitra latiloba. Dryandra woodland
Lemon scented sun orchid Thelymitra antennifera. Yilliminning Rock


Random fact: the word orchid is derived from Greek orchis, as orchids have twin root tubers that resemble a pair of testicles. (Yes, orchids are for men too!)
The tubers enable orchids to survive from year to year, so they do not have to flower every year.
Orchids depend on mycorrhizal fungi to supply them with extra minerals and moisture, and will not survive if replanted.

The Lemon Scented Sun Orchid (Thelymitra antennifera) occurs on winter wet soils associated with granite. The lovely Leopard Orchid Thelymitra benthamiana will flower on the clay flats near the Claypit in a few weeks.

In contrast, in 30 odd years here I have only seen the Rabbit Orchid (Leptoceras menziesii) flower once in September after the 2009 fire in two patches on the Granite Walk.

The Red Beak Orchid (Burnettia nigricans) also only flowered that year near the caravan park entrance. Otherwise both species occur as small and large heart leaves respectively on the ground. The prominently fringed Red Beak labellum acts as a pathway for small native bees that go down to the base for nectar and pollinate the flower. Rabbit Orchids also use a nectar reward for native bees.

The female get the rough end of the deal in this video of a feeding pair of mating flower wasps

Many orchids use sexual deception to attract pollinators to their flowers. Here are some other spider orchids with a  female mimic labellum.

These hybrids flower in two spots in Foxes Lair and occasionally on other reserves. 
They vary in colour and shape  as one or other parent species passes on dominant genes.
This flowers each year in August/September near in a spot near the road leading from the main entrance to the Marri picnic area. To find it stop at the mallee patch on the left of the track. Walk downslope and down a breakaway to a clump of broombush (Melaleuca hamata – flowers in November and only occurs here). There is a clump of orchids in a low bush on the downslope side – compare it with the little pink fairy orchids nearby.

Another that is more like the cowslip orchid parent, occurs near the dancing spider orchid spot and I have seen others at Highbury B and Newman blocks.