Endangered thick-lipped spider orchids rediscovered on south coast

Media release: 30 November 2016

In recent weeks scientists surveying the Shoalhaven area have identified endangered native orchid species with monikers as intriguing as their biological behaviour is.

The pretty beard, thick-lipped spider and Jervis Bay leek orchids – as they are commonly known – are extremely rare species but this year numerous thick-lipped spider plants have been rediscovered after a long absence during the local annual orchid survey. 

The magnificent florae have begun regenerating following work under the Saving Our Species (SoS) program which has included ecological burns designed to stimulate flowering.

Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) Threatened Species Officer Kylie McClelland is encouraged by this year’s sightings, a result of ongoing efforts in partnership with local orchid experts, Shoalhaven Council, National Parks and Wildlife Service, private landholders and The Australian Botanic Garden at Mount Annan.

“This year we have found eight endangered pretty beards or Calochilus pulchellus. These are the only plants of this species left in the world so it’s imperative that we do everything we can to ensure their survival,” said Ms McClelland.

“The even more unusually named thick-lipped spider orchids, known as Caladenia tessellata, have also popped their heads up in an area where we haven’t seen them for seven years! There are at least 30 plants with ten in flower. It’s exciting stuff.

“Using tactics including ecological burns, conservation agreements and seed banking, we’re hoping to improve the long-term conservation prospects for the orchids,” said Ms McClelland.  

Orchids are one of the oldest, largest and most successful plant groups on earth with around 35,000 species making up almost 10 per cent of the world’s flowering population.

These amazing flowers are critical for a healthy ecosystem as they interact with underground fungi generating important nutrient exchange. They are also master pollinators, cleverly tricking insects into mating with them by mimicking insect sex pheromones. The insects then unwittingly transfer the pollen from plant-to-plant.

Seventy per cent of Australia’s native orchids are not found anywhere else in the world including some of Shoalhaven’s 100 orchids: about ten per cent of which are on the state’s threatened species list. Several of the area’s orchids are not much bigger than a pea.

“People are always surprised to see how tiny and delicate some of these little guys are – it can be like finding a needle in a haystack so the ongoing monitoring can have its challenges.

“We map out the area we are surveying, transecting across the sites tagging each and every orchid. It’s time consuming but essential work,” Ms McClelland added.  

Apart from the ecological burns and ongoing surveys the $650,000 Environmental Trust Saving Our Species Partnership Grant is also funding seed banking, private land conservation, fencing, pest and weed control, protection of sites and educational signage.

These measures are helping ensure the survival of some of Shoalhaven’s most unique native plants. The initiative focuses on eleven species, including six orchids, four of which are endemic to the area.

This year’s surveys have just been completed and seed banking is planned for the thick-lipped spider and Jervis Bay leek orchids.

Ongoing monitoring is critical to help assess the effectiveness of our efforts to conserve these spectacular florae.

In addition to the Environmental Trust funding, the NSW Government’s Saving Our Species (SoS) program is providing $100 million over the next five years to help protect almost a thousand animals and plants threatened from extinction in NSW.

Photos for media: Rare and endangered thick-lipped spiders and pretty beard orchids 

Video for media: Saving our species: orchids 

Contact: Angela Read