Veined Helmet Orchid, Corybas diemenicus
Veined Helmet Orchid (photo Margaret MacDonald)
Due to the dry autumn it’s not quite time yet to view these delightful little orchids, but tiny leaves and buds are now appearing.
A dark-red helmet flower with a flared labellum opens on top of a very short stem which emerges from a ground-hugging, heart-shaped, light-green leaf. It grows in colonies so when it’s in flower there are lots of these little beauties. If you see them in the early morning or late afternoon sun, they are quite spectacular. They are rare in the district, but look for them in damp sites in gullies or coastal heathland.
They often grow amongst mossy logs and ferns.
Margaret MacDonald