Turallo Nature Reserve

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Tapirlord wrote:
4 Oct 2024
From checking the reference material I'm sure how readily we can actually separate these two from photographs. Having compared a number sources I just don't see that colour is a discerning trait, it seems instead to be based largely upon flowering and plant dimensions. I'm not going to weigh in on the relative flowering times of the Bungendore/Canberra areas, but I do think Matt makes a good point about Turallo being a hotspot for D.amabilis. I've recorded it there myself may a week after this sighting was taken a couple years ago and there's a rich history of records including at least one collection I believe. I'm happy for Matt's ID to stand.

Diuris amabilis
MattM wrote:
3 Oct 2024
I do agree these are on the smaller side, however plants do vary in size. I can still see the orange in your additional photos so I still wouldn't rule out D. amabilis. I would also like to point out that that reserve is a bit of a local hotspot for D. amabilis, and while typically they have been recorded flowering mid to late October (see Diuris amabilis (Large Golden Moth)), they have been recorded flowering in late September (see Diuris amabilis (Large Golden Moth)).

Diuris amabilis
Csteele4 wrote:
1 Oct 2024
@MattM respectfully, I've checked both Lachlan Copeland's book and the more recent book Native Orchids of Australia, as well as PlantNet, and the features and flowering period of these plants match D chryseopsis. Canberra flowering periods are generally 2-3 weeks ahead of Bungendore and the surrounding region (spoken with 7 years of experience). These also lack the orange labellum which is present in D amabilis, though both books do reference hybridisation between the two species. I've added a photo which better illustrates the small size of the flower.

I'll confer with Lachlan, but I'm confident in mine and Ciaran's ID of D chryseopsis.

Diuris amabilis
MattM wrote:
1 Oct 2024
I believe these are Diuris amabilis based on the darker yellow/orange in the centre of the labellum. Additionally these plants are beginning to flower and still have buds, whereas the D. chryseopsis in the Canberra region have pretty much finished flowering.

Diuris amabilis
20 Oct 2023
@tapirlord i am so pleased someone else has been in Turallo reserve. I have never seen anyone in there except the firies!

Diuris amabilis
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