Calochilus montanus

3 Copper Beard Orchid at Mount Clear, ACT

Calochilus montanus at Mount Clear, ACT - 5 Dec 2021
Calochilus montanus at Mount Clear, ACT - 5 Dec 2021
Calochilus montanus at Mount Clear, ACT - 5 Dec 2021
Calochilus montanus at Mount Clear, ACT - 5 Dec 2021
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Identification history

Calochilus montanus 8 Dec 2021 MattM
Calochilus montanus 6 Dec 2021 AlisonMilton

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Significant sighting

Tapirlord noted:

4 Dec 2022

Should've been marked signifcant at the time, a rare orchid in the ACT>

7 comments

DerekC wrote:
   7 Dec 2021
Alison was the size of the leaf at the bottom?
AlisonMilton wrote:
   7 Dec 2021
I'd say maybe two inches in length. Sorry, I grew up with imperial measurements and still can't get my head around metric for some things.
My camera GPS can be a bit inaccurate but I could find the spot again.
DerekC wrote:
   7 Dec 2021
That is a short leaf. C. montanus should have a leaf more like 150-250 mm (6-10 inch), the much rarer C. saprophyticus which looks just like it (C. montana) has a very short leaf 20-40 mm. I unsuccessfully looked for C. saprophyticus as part of our post-fire survey work last year.
AlisonMilton wrote:
   7 Dec 2021
Hi Derek. I could be wrong about the leaf length. Just trying to estimate it from the photo. If you wanted to take a trip out there, I could locate the site again.
MattM wrote:
   8 Dec 2021
The leaf looks long enough for C. montanus so I would be going with that.
AlisonMilton wrote:
   8 Dec 2021
If correct, it looks to me that this is the first time it has been reported on CNM outside of Canberra.
MattM wrote:
   8 Dec 2021
That’s true. It doesn’t look like we have any records outside out urban reserves. I recall seeing a contender for C. saprophyticus/montanus in the brindabellas, but I was never able to confirm it. Calochilus sp. (A Beard Orchid)

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Location information

Sighting information

Additional information

  • 30cm to 1 metre Plant height
  • True In flower

Species information

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  • Nearby sighting(s) of same species
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