Orchidaceae (Orchids) > Pyrorchis nigricans | Black Fire-Orchid (Pyrorchis nigricans)
Pyrorchis nigricans is a species of orchid endemic to Australia, and at time of writing (October 2024), has observations in Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania (ref Atlas of Living Australia)2.
Belonging to the genus Pyrorchis (a group known as Beak Orchids), Pyrorchis nigricans has a number of common names (and spellings), including Redbeak, Red-beak, Red Beak Orchid, Black Fire-Orchid and Fire Orchid.

The Pyrorchis nigricans species usually start with a single large, oval leaf, around 5-8 cm long, although they have been known to grow up to 20 cm long.

In the following photo the Pyrorchis nigricans orchid has more than one leaf.

They have up to eight largish red and white flowers. Often seen in colonies, Pyrorchis nigricans are known to flower after a hot summer fire, although they are also known to occasionally flower in unburnt bushland.

Pyrorchis nigricans, an native orchid that turns black when it dies… Black Fire-Orchid.
Pyrorchis nigricans (Redbeak) from the latin niger – black , alluding to the plant turning black when dried.
- Scientific classification
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Phylum: Charophyta
- Class: Equisetopsida
- Subclass: Magnoliidae
- Superorder: Lilianae
- Order: Asparagales
- Family: Orchidaceae
- Genus: Pyrorchis
- Species: Pyrorchis nigricans
Footnote & References
- Pyrorchis nigricans WA, Photographs © Terry Dunham
- Pyrorchis nigricans (R.Br.) D.L.Jones & M.A.Clem., Black Fire-Orchid, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/Pyrorchis nigricans
- Pyrorchis – Beak Orchids, Orchids of South-West Australia, https://chookman.id.au/wp_orchids/?page_id=752
Pyrorchis nigricansBlack Fire-Orchid (Pyrorchis nigricans)
OrchidaceaeOrchidaceae Index Caladenia barbarossa (Dragon Orchid) Caladenia bryceana subsp. bryceana (Dwarf Spider Orchid) Caladenia corynephora (Club-lipped Spider Orchid) Caladenia drummondii (Winter Spider Orchid) Caladenia integra (Smooth-lipped Spider Orchid) Caladenia latifolia (Pink Fairies) Caladenia lobata (Butterfly Spider Orchid) Caladenia melanema (Ballerina Orchid) Caladenia polychroma (Joseph’s Spider Orchid) Caladenia pulchra (Slender Spider Orchid) Caladenia pusilla (Tiny Caladenia) Caladenia serotina (Christmas Spider Orchid) Caladenia tessellata (Thick-lip Spider Orchid) Caleana major (Flying Duck Orchid) Cephalotus follicularis (Western Australian Pitcher Plant) Cryptostylis ovata (Slipper Orchid) Dendrobium kingianum (Pink Rock Orchid) Dendrobium speciosum (Rock Orchid) Drakaea glyptodon (King-in-his-carriage Orchid) Drakaea livida (Warty Hammer Orchid) Elythranthera emarginata (Pink Enamel Orchid) Epiblema grandiflorum (Babe-in-a-cradle Orchid) Ericksonella saccharata (Sugar Orchid) Glossodia major (Wax-lip Orchid) Leptoceras menziesii (Rabbit Orchid) Microtis cupularis (Cupped Mignonette Orchid) Paracaleana nigrita (Flying Duck Orchid) Pterostylis angusta (Narrow-hooded Shell Orchid) Pterostylis cheraphila (Floodplain Rustyhood) Pterostylis ciliata (Hairy Rufous Greenhood) Pterostylis hamiltonii (Red-veined Shell Orchid) Pterostylis picta (Painted Rufous Greenhood) Pterostylis mutica (Midget Greenhood) Pterostylis vittata (Banded Greenhood Orchid) Pyrorchis nigricans Rhizanthella johnstonii (Southern Underground Orchid) Spiculaea ciliata (Elbow Orchid) Thelymitra antennifera (Lemon-scented Sun Orchid) Thelymitra sp. Ongerup (Orange Sun Orchids) Thelymitra speciosa (Eastern Queen of Sheba’s)
FloraFlora in Australia Flora Index Acacia Anigozanthos (Kangaroo Paws) Adenanthos cuneatus (Coastal Jug Flower) Annual Yellowtop Apium prostratum subsp. prostratum var filiforme Apple Bush (Pterocaulon sphacelatum) Australian Bluebell Australian Gossypium Banksia Batswing Coral Tree Billy Buttons Birdsville Indigo Blue Pincushion Bush Banana Callistemon Callitris drummondii (Drummond’s Cypress Pine) Calothamnus quadrifidus Cape Honeysuckle Cassia fistula (Golden Shower) Cattle Bush Common Heath Crotalaria Darwinia wittwerorum (Wittwer’s Mountain Bell) Daviesia oppositifolia (Rattle-pea) Desert Oaks Drumsticks Eremophila Eucalyptus Ficus Flannel Cudweed (Actinobole uliginosum) Georges Indigo Goatshead Burr (Sclerolaena bicornis) Golden Everlasting Goodenia Gossypium Grass and Grasses Grass Trees Grevillea Grey Germander Hakea Kapok Bush (Aerva javanica) Lambertia sp Leptospermum MacDonnell Ranges Cycad Maireana scleroptera Mexican Poppy Minnie Daisy Mistletoe Family Nardoo Native Apricot Nicotiana megalosiphon subspecies sessilifolia Nuytsia floribunda Orange Spade Flower Orchidaceae Parakeelyas (Calandrinia) Pebble Bush (Stylobasium spathulatum) Perennial Yellow Top Pink Everlasting Pink Rock Wort Poached Egg Daisy Portulaca Proteaceae Ptilotus Quandong Resurrection Fern Rosy Dock Ruby Saltbush Santalum Solanum Spike Centaury Spinifex Storkbill (Erodium cygnorum) Striped Mint Bush Sturt’s Desert Pea Sturt’s Desert Rose Tall Saltbush Tangled Leschenaultia Tar Vine Tribulus eichlerianus Upside-down Plant Urodon dasyphylla Variable Daisy Waratah (Telopea) Wertabona Daisy White Cedar (Melia azedarach) White Indigo White Paper Daisy Wild Passionfruit Wild Stock Woolly-Headed Burr Daisy Woolly Bush Yellow-keeled Swainsona