St Andrews Spider Orchid (Arachnorchis sp. aff oenochila - formerly Caladenia sp. aff oenochila)

Flowers in Spring (Sept - Oct) - dry foothill forest north of Melbourne.

Endemic to Victoria.  Uncertain identity and requires further study to ascertain status.  The photo ruler indicates the height of this particular plant - a total of 10.5 inches (26cm).

Pollination of the Arachnorchis species has been studied very little but it is thought that spider orchids are generally pollinated by pseudocopulation (male thynnid wasp).

Flowers in Spring/Summer (Sep - Dec), favours dry woodland in box ironbark country.

Easily overlooked species because of size and growing environment.  Multi-flowered.  Small green labellum has a dark green appendage with three ridges.  The photo ruler indicates the height of this particular plant - a total of 3 inches (8cm).

All known pollinators of the Genus Hymenochilus have been male insects of the fungus gnat and mosquito family.