Snowgum potato orchid at Cotter River, ACT
Identification history
| Gastrodia surcula | 2 Sep 2015 | TonyWood | ||
| Gastrodia sesamoides | 2 Sep 2015 | MattM |
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User's notes
Seen at the base of a snow gum on the edge of the ski run just down from the Ginini Flats car park. I have added a band-aid to cover a wound which I believe unwise to show.
3 comments
TonyWood
wrote:
2 Sep 2015
I think it is more likely to be G. surcula, based on where found. G. sesamoides not found above 1000m. Can't easily distinguish the two without digging it up!
MattM
wrote:
2 Sep 2015
Interesting. Out of the three gastrodias in your book, I decided this was the least likely. I suppose it can be hard when the plant hasn't flowered yet. Also, it is entirely likely that it has been dug up by now. During a school trip earlier that year, we noted just how much the feral pigs had churned up the ground.
TonyWood
wrote:
3 Sep 2015
Prior to flowering, the flower stem of S. sesamoides is nodding giving the appearance of a shepherd's crook.
The tubers of Gastrodia are quite succulent and attractive to feral pigs which cause a lot of damage to montane swamps.
Location information
- Maps Namadgi National Park
- Places Cotter River, ACT
Sighting information
- 1 Abundance
- 26 Dec 2014 12:00 AM Recorded on
- MattM Recorded by
Species information
- Gastrodia surcula Scientific name
- Snowgum potato orchid Common name
- Sensitive
- Rare or uncommon native
- Non-invasive or negligible
- Machine learning
-
In flower
- External link More information
