Calochilus campestris
R.Br. Copper Beard-orchidFlowering plant 17–42 cm tall, slender to stout. Leaf erect, linear-lanceolate, to 22 cm long, shorter than raceme, rigid, fleshy, triangular in cross-section, channelled. Stem bracts 2, copper-coloured. Flowers 3–12, pale green with darker stipes and purplish labellum hairs; subtending bract lanceolate, tapering to fine point, shorter than flower; pedicel (excluding ovary) 5–13 mm long; dorsal sepal erect, ovate, 8–12 mm long, concave, acute; lateral sepals ovate, as long or slightly longer than dorsal sepal but narrower, spreading below labellum; petals spreading, ovate-lanceolate, shorter and much narrower than dorsal sepal, yellow with darker stripes. Labellum curved, with fleshy rectangular base and wide triangular lamina, 9–14 mm long; margins fringed with reddish-blue hairs with metallic lustre; basal portion covered by 2 smooth, longitudinal, metallic-blue plates; central portion moderately covered with bristly purple hairs; tip recurved, ending in short glabrous strap-like tail. Column short, widely winged, with 2 purple, eye-like glands at base, not connected by a ridge but generally with reddish-brown markings between them. Flowers Oct.–Nov.
LoM, MuM, Wim, GleP, VVP, GipP, OtP, WaP, Gold, CVU, GGr, NIS, EGL, EGU, WPro, HSF, HNF, Strz, VAlp. All states except NT. Widespread in a range of habitats from mallee scrub to montane and sub-alpine forests and coastal heathlands and woodlands.
The similar C. herbaceus has generally smaller flowers and a much shorter leaf.
Specimens from the far north-west of the state (Hattah area) may be referrable to C. pruinosus D.L.Jones, currently known with certainty from WA and SA. Calochilus pruinosus differs from C. campestris primarily in having smaller, less widely opening flowers. Further research is required to be confident of the application of names to the Victorian mallee plants.
Entwisle, T.J. (1994). Orchidaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 2, Ferns and Allied Plants, Conifers and Monocotyledons, pp. 740–901. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Spinning
