Stirling Range National Park Native OrchidsCaladenia barbarossa (Dragon Orchid) Cryptostylis ovata (Slipper Orchid) Caladenia polychroma (Joseph’s Spider Orchid) Caladenia pulchra (Slender Spider Orchid) Drakaea glyptodon (King-in-his-carriage Orchid) Elythranthera emarginata (Pink Enamel Orchids) Leptoceras menziesii (Rabbit Orchid) Praecoxanthus aphyllus (Leafless Orchid) Thelymitra speciosa (Eastern Queen of Sheba’s)
Drakaea glyptodon, commonly known as King-in-his-carriage orchid is endemic to the south–west of Western Australia. It is the most common and widespread of the hammer orchids, being found in sandy ground from north of Jurien Bay to Esperance. The ones pictured here is from Stirling Range National Park in the Great Southern region of Western Australia
The flower of the Drakaea glyptodon is similar to those of other hammer orchids in that the labellum resembles a flightless female thynnid wasp, except in this species the labellum is shorter and more swollen than those of other drakaeas. The flowers of this orchid are pollinated by the male thynnine wasp Zaspilothynnus trilobatus.
The Drakaea glyptodon has a single, small, heart-shaped, ground hugging leaf and underground tuber. The leaf is about 10 mm in diameter, glabrous, dull blue-grey colour with darker lines radiating from the attachment to the stem. The leaves are striking with their prominently veined pattern.
The stem of the Drakaea glyptodon is from 10–35 centimetres long, whilst the stalk of the single flower is between 8–15 mm long.
First formally described by Robert D. FitzGerald in 1882 in The Gardeners’ Chronicle as Drakaea glyptodon. The specific epithet (glyptodon) refers to “an extinct South American animal related to the Armadillo”.
Photographs © Terry Dunham
- Scientific classification
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Phylum: Charophyta
- Class: Equisetopsida
- Subclass: Magnoliidae
- Superorder: Lilianae
- Order: Asparagales
- Family: Orchidaceae
- Genus: Drakaea
- Species: Drakaea glyptodon
Footnote & References
- Drakaea glyptodon (King-in-his-carriage Orchid), Stirling Range National Park WA. Photographs © Terry Dunham
- Drakaea glyptodon Fitzg., King-In-His-Carriage, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://id.biodiversity.org.au/taxon/apni/51404655
- King-in-His-Carriage (Drakaea glyptodon), iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/568896-Drakaea-glyptodon
- Drakaea glyptodon, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drakaea_glyptodon
- Drakaea – Hammer Orchids, Orchids of South_West Australia, https://chookman.id.au/wp_orchids/?page_id=477
Stirling Range National Park Native OrchidsCaladenia barbarossa (Dragon Orchid) Cryptostylis ovata (Slipper Orchid) Caladenia polychroma (Joseph’s Spider Orchid) Caladenia pulchra (Slender Spider Orchid) Drakaea glyptodon (King-in-his-carriage Orchid) Elythranthera emarginata (Pink Enamel Orchids) Leptoceras menziesii (Rabbit Orchid) Praecoxanthus aphyllus (Leafless Orchid) Thelymitra speciosa (Eastern Queen of Sheba’s)
Stirling Range National Park FloraAnigozanthos rufus (Red Kangaroo Paw) Banksia aculeata (Prickly Banksia) Banksia oreophila (Mountain Banksia) Banksia sphaerocarpa var sphaerocarpa (Fox Banksia) Darwinia wittwerorum (Wittwer’s Mountain Bell) Daviesia oppositifolia (Rattle-pea) Eucalyptus preissiana (Bell-fruited Mallee) Eucalyptus macrandra (Long-flowered Marlock) Eucalyptus uncinata (Hook-leaved Mallee) Hakea cucullata (Hood Leaved Hakea) Hakea lehmanniana (Blue Hakea) Hibbertia selkii Native Orchids
Stirling Range National ParkFauna Flora Landscape
Western AustraliaWestern Australia Fauna Western Australia Flora The Batavia Coast and Midwest WA Bungle Bungles – Purnululu National Park Great Southern WA South West WA Stirling Range National Park