Western Australian Native Orchid Study and Conservation Group Inc.

Key to the Native Orchids of Western Australia

The Key to the Native Orchids of Western Australia is an interactive identification and information package built on a Lucidcentral platform that will help you to identify and learn about all the currently known native orchids found in Western Australia (including named hybrids).

It is sponsored by WANOSCG and developed by its Members, celebrating WANOSCG’s 50th anniversary in 2024.

The key is aimed at both amateur orchid enthusiasts and professional researchers alike. You can use it to:

  • identify an unknown orchid;
  • find out what orchids occur in different areas or habitats;
  • find out which orchids flower in different months of the year;
  • find out which orchids are listed as Threatened or Priority species;
  • view descriptions and photos of all the orchids contained in the key; and
  • learn more about Western Australia’s unique orchids.

Authors: Ramón Newmann and Andrew Brown.

The key is now available in both desktop and mobile versions.

For mobile app version go to the Google Play Store for the Android version, or to the App Store for the Apple version and search for WA Orchid Key. Once installed the app will work even if you do not have a mobile signal.

For desktop version click here You can run it online or download and install the offline edition.

DESKTOP VERSION  updates April 2026.  Android Mobile updated; Apple version soon to be updated

  • New taxa:
    • Cyanicula micrantha, Diuris aurantia, Diuris australis, Diuris calliantha, Diuris cerina, Diuris laeta, Diuris parva, Diuris patula, Diuris pteroloba, Paracaleana petraea.
  • Existing taxa – now formally named:
    • Diuris cupulata was Diuris sp. ‘late northern’, Diuris molloyae was Diuris sp. ‘Augusta’, Diuris ochracea was Diuris sp. ‘Chapman Valley’, Paracaleana semota was Paracaleana sp. ‘Northampton’, Pterostylis inflata was Pterostylis sp. ‘bloated’, Pterostylis pisinna was Pterostylis sp. ’eastern mallee’, Thelymitra congesta was Thelymitra sp. ‘Murchison’.
  • Existing taxa -updated:
    • Prasophyllum sp. ‘Brookton Highway’, Prasophyllum sp. ‘early’, Prasophyllum sp. ‘south coast’, Prasophyllum sp. ‘striped’, Prasophyllum parvifolium, Pterostylis barbata, Pterostylis turfosa, Pterostylis sp. ‘plump’, Pterostylis sp. ‘sandplain’, Pterostylis sp. ‘slender’, Pterostylis sp. ‘stout’, Pterostylis sp. ‘southern granites’.
  • New undescribed taxon:
    • Pterostylis sp. ‘Lake Carmody’.
  • New and updated taxa Subsets::
    • All of the above taxa can be selected as a single subset by using the Subsets Tool in the Key’s Toolbar (diamond shaped icon in top row of Desktop Key or click the 3 bars on top left of Mobile Key).
  • Flowering Month:
    • Refined the Flowering Month selection for species whose flowering month range varies between northern and southern populations. The shire selection determines if the northern or southern population is used for selecting a flowering month. If no shire is selected, or if entire regions that have northern and southern shires are selected (Wheatbelt or Goldfields-Esperance) it defaults to all populations.
  • Auto Prune default:
    • The key now starts with the Auto Prune preference NOT selected. This is in order to show all available features, including redundant ones. It can be manually selected through the Toolbar’s Preferences / Settings.

Please provide any feedback on the Key to wanoscg@gmail.com with ‘Key to Native Orchid’ in the subject line.