Come and see this flowering orchid before it disappears.

Phaius australis …Swamp Orchid – profile

Scientific name: Phaius australis
National conservation status: Endangered
Description… This orchid has flower stems up to 2 m tall and large broad leaves with a pleated appearance, both arising from a fleshy bulb near ground level. The large, showy flowers, with up to 20 per stem, have four petals which are white on the outside and brown with white or yellow veins on the inside. The central tongue of the flower is pink and yellow with lobes slightly curved inwards.

Habitat and ecology… Swampy grassland or swampy forest including rainforest, eucalypt or paper bark forest, mostly in coastal areas.

Threats to its continued growth in ‘the wild’ are …
Illegal collection for horticulture or cut flowers. This showy species is highly sought after.
Clearing and fragmentation of habitat for development, agriculture and roadworks.
Drainage of swamps, or pollution from nutrient run-off.
Frequent fire
Grazing and trampling by domestic stock and feral pigs.
Invasion of habitat by introduced weeds.

Contact: Maya Harrison

Phone: 49527300

Email: