Back in August, I had been invited to see some rarely seen and very unusual orchids growing at a location in the Lane Cove Valley. Back then the orchids were only buds. I was recently invited back to see them in flower. The orchids are Rhizanthella slateri – an underground orchid.
This patch had been found by Vanessa McPherson and Michael Gillings, and it was a real privilege to be able to see them. They are certainly a most extraordinary plant. I believe that underground orchids are only found in Australia. They are perhaps quite common, but are rarely seen because their flowers develop underground. Vanessa and Michael found two clusters of them, close together, in a gully in a tributary of the Lane Cove River. They were searching for club and coral fungi at the time – and were looking under the leaf litter when they found the developing buds. Between inspections of the developing flowers, they covered them with leaf litter. If they were not covered the flowers would not develop. Continue reading
