Orchids continue to overachieve

 I have from time to time wondered about the patch of vegetation near the Captains Creek FT which looks "different" in Google Earth.  This post will get back to that towards the end because I got distracted by orchids which two friends showed me..

The first was Acianthus caudatus the Mayfly orchid.   Tiny dark brown plants.

I took Frances back to the area later in the day and found another.  This was even smaller but I did manage to sort-of include a leaf in the image.

Then another: a giant amongst Acianthus!

My friends also revealed some very attractive Caladenia clarkiae: another new species for me.

There were quite a few Glossodia major in the area.

This one appeared almost white in the field.

While in the area I revisited yesterday's colonies to get some leaf photos.  These are Caleana major and are a rather more uright than suggested by my book.

And here is a whole-of-plant image of Lyperanthus suavolens.

Not an orchid, but Amperea xiphoclada.  This tiny flower, on a leafless stem, deserves some encouragement. 

After revisiting the Fire Trail we crossed the road to the power lines.  A few closed Prasophylums appeared and then a further two plants of Lyperanthus suavolens.

We then found a few open Prasophyllums  All were P. elatum in both green form ....

.. and the more sommon dark form.

Back to the strange vegetation.  In this mud map the red line is (roughly) the Fire Trail and the green line marks the boundary of the swamp.  

It is pretty desolate at present but regrowth is happening.  The soil must have had a high organic content as it did not bear my weight.  It's basically ash.

There is a lot of regrowth happening: I think it will be basically Meleleuca of a couple of species, but I am not good n leaves.

Again the Banksia serrata was dsplaying epicormic growth.  The cone looks as though it is about to open but its base is burnt so I think the fire froze it in time.