Flying Duck Orchid - Paracaleana nigrita

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Flying Duck Orchid - Paracaleana nigrita

Found as scattered plants in flat to gently sloping sandy soil with possible deep seepage, often in company with early flowering Drakaea glyptodon, King-in-his-carriage Hammer Orchid. It is not found on dry sandy hillocks.

Easy to identify from other Duck Orchids by the dark calli which covers most of the humped labellum. It flowers from August (usually late) to October.

Duck Orchids like several other orchid species, use pheromones to trick male Thynnid wasps to mate with the calli on their labellum, but when it lands it triggers the labellum flicking it downwards and propelling the wasp into the stigma and anthers. This process deposits pollen on the back of the wasp, which is later transferred to other duck orchids when it attempts to mate again, so performing cross-pollination.

Update 11/10/08

Photos of the distinctive ovate leaf (10-20 mm, or 3/8-3/4" long) added.

Duck Orchid - Paracaleana disjuncta

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Duck Orchid - Paracaleana disjuncta

A small orchid with a very duck looking flower. It occurs in open colonies in sheltered deep sandy soils in flat to gently sloping environments (possibly kept moist by deep seepage), not found on dry elevated hillocks. Often found with late flowering Drakaea glyptodon, King-in-his-carriage Hammer Orchid.

This duck orchid is the last Paracaleana species to bloom here (October to November) and is rarely seen flowering with the common Flying Duck Orchid P. nigrita, which is usually well finished before this Duck Orchid appears.

The labellum is quite distinctive with the dark calli restricted to the upper third section.

Update 11/10/08

The name of this orchid (in this district) has recently been changed from Paracaleana triens, the Broad-billed Duck Orchid to Paracaleana disjuncta. However P. triens is now restricted to the west of Esperance, with this species overlapping slightly and also found well to the east. The western (P. triens) species apparently has a broader labellum, with a broad oval leaf shape, whereas P. disjuncta has a broad linear to elliptic shaped leaf. The Broad-billed species lies outside the Esperance area so should not confuse local identification. Photos of the leaf shape (15-30 mm, or a little over 1/2"-1" long) of P. disjuncta have been added.