Click image to enlarge
Babe-in-a-Cradle - Epiblema grandiflorum var. grandiflorum
A very attractive orchid with purple flowers to 40 mm diameter, which flower in flooded ephemeral swamps between November and January. So if you want to see this orchid you need a pair of gumboots, however the inconvenience is well worth the effort. It commonly occurs in sedge communities of around 60 cm (2') in height, which are flooded until late summer. The swamps that usually dry earlier are not good habitat for this plant.
The flowers are all that is seen of these orchids as they protrude just above the height of the sedge, the rest of the plant usually being out of sight. Another delight is the large purple flowering Bladderwort, Utricularia volubilis that is often found growing with it, making overall a very striking display.
