Hyacinth Orchid

I spotted this by the side of the road while I was out and about, and it reminded me that I've missed the orchid season this year, on account of my stupid knee. And just when my knee is OK again, the orchid season finishes. Typical!

Anyway, this is our stunning Hyacinth Orchid. I was umming and arring about whether to focus in on one of the exquisite little flowers or show you the whole spike. The spike won out. I might do an individual flower later in the week, if they are still flowering.

It's easy to see why they are called hyacinth orchids, isn't it.

Dipodium punctatum is a native orchid of Australia. It is commonly known as blotched hyacinth-orchid or hyacinth orchid, though both names can refer to other species.

D. Punctatum is a leafless mycoheterotrophic (you'll have to look this up - I don't know what it n-means either) plant. The species is terrestrial, favouring protected shady positions in dry forests or woodlands as it is drought and frost tender. The flowers are about 20-25 mm across and are pink with dense purple-red spotting on segments. They appear in hyacinth-like racemes between November and March on a green to blackish scape that grows to a height of 40-100 cm. This orchid is common along the coast and Northern Tablelands of New South Wales, also Queensland, Victoria and South Australia.

It might be common on the eastern seaboard but it is listed as endangered in South Australia.