thank you for making this article very useful and keep up the good work
Cyanicula ixioides subsp. candida
White China Orchid
Great Southern Hwy, 26 September 2015
Great Southern Hwy, 26 September 2015
Julimar, 17 September 2017
Julimar, 17 September 2017
Julimar, 17 September 2017
Calingari, 7 September 2017
Bindoon, 22 September 2017
Bindoon, 22 September 2017
West Wongan Hills, 30 August 2017
Bindoon, 18 September 2017
Stirling Range, 27 Sept. 2020
Stirling Range, 27 Sept. 2020
Boscabel, 14 Sep. 2020
Bindoon, 18 September 2017
Stirling, Range 17 September 2020
Stirling Range,18 September 2020
Tuesday, October 1st 2024 at 6:36 am |
Every year I find a few China Orchids which are a very pale mauve colour, very much like the picture you have from West Dale 11 October 2009. The area is in Talbot and it has light gravely slightly sandy soil with Wandoo growing. The leaf is purple underneath so it can’t be the Dale china orchid and it resembles all the pictures you have on this page. The Blue china orchid (Cyanicula gemmata) also grows in this area but has dark blue flower and seems to flower a little earlier so I have often wondered if this pale orchid is just another Blue china orchid which has faded but the petals and whole plant and flower seem to be in good condition and not wilting so I am wondering whether it is the white china orchid (Cyanicula ixioides). What throws me out is that although it is pale it is not white like most of your other pictures. How can I positively identify this orchid
Tuesday, October 1st 2024 at 9:56 am |
Hi Steve, thanks for your comments and notes.
What you describe could be the Dale China Orchid (Cyanicula ixioides subsp. ‘Dale’). Earlier books stated that the leaf is green on the underside, however later books (Andrew Brown’s The Complete Orchids of Western Australia) and the WA Native Orchid Key now indicate that the leaf can be either green or tinged reddish-purple on the underside.
If you can send some photos to wanoscg@gmail.com we could have a further look at it for you.
Cheers,
Ramon