Just four of us had a lovely morning. We stated at Gum Flat corner observing the beautiful little Veined Helmet Orchid Corybus diemenicus. There is a good population this year and the colony seems to be spreading out.

Veined Helmet Orchid

Then a look amongst the moss at Gum Flat to find Trim Greenhood Pterostylis concinna–they were quite short flowers.

Trim Greenhood

Lots of lichen and various fungi. A stroll along Cecil Track to find Bird Orchid leaves and Flying Duck leaves. Masses of Sweet Wattle made a stunning display in Flying Duck ‘quarry’ area. Further along we found Tall Greenhoods P. melagramma still in bud and small Nodding Greenhoods P. nutans. A quite spectacular patch of Trim Greenhoods was found at the edge of the track and these were much taller specimens.

Cecil Track

After returning to our cars, we had a final stop along Forest Rd where we found the masses of Gnat Orchids Cyrtostylis reniformis we had seen last year– they were crowding each other with leaves overlapping. There were a few flowers out, some were still in bud and others had their tops nipped off or eaten.

Gnat Orchid

In the same area the hairy leaves of Spider Orchids are appearing. We also found some lovely Banded Greenhoods P. sanguinea, one tall one which is still flowering after two months.

Banded Greenhood

It will be a good orchid area again this year.

Alison Watson