Winter orchids flowering on Vale Park’s Wildflower Walk in July 2015

Our lovely winter orchids have begun flowering on the Wildflower Walk at Vale Park, including this interesting Gnat Orchid (Cyrtostylis robusta). Nectar flows down the centre of the large lower petal to attract pollinating long-legged flies (that look similar to mosquitoes!).  While small,  the flowers on their spikes are quite lovely as these photos show.  They can form very large colonies in cool shady spots.

As winter is too cold for native bees to be out and about,  like most of our winter flowering orchids, these flowers are meant to attract specific fly or wasp pollinators.

Green, white and maroon/purple shades are common colours in wasp and fly pollinated orchids, as can also be seen in the nearby unfolding Stately Helmet Orchid buds as shown.

These little flowers (only 2cm tall!) look a bit like shiny marbles, and are thought to be mimicking little mushrooms to attract Fungus Flies to pollinate them.  Then veined lower petals look a little like mushroom gills and the ‘helmet’  like the mushroom cap!  

Other winter flowering orchids with similar colours include our Mosquito Orchids (Acianthus pusillus), Onion Orchids (Microtis spp), Blunt Greenhoods (Pterostylis curta), Nodding Greenhoods (Pterostylis nutans) and Maroonhoods (Pterostylis pedunculata).

We hope many people see these curious flowers on our Wildflower walk soon!