Today seems like a good day for a ghost story... The first Ghost Orchid to be recorded in Britain was found in July 1854 by Mrs Anderton Smith in Herefordshire. Not recognising it, she picked it, and it was sent away to be identified. (1/12) (This image, from 1978, c/o A.Wake)

#Stenoglottis longifolia is a terrestrial orchid native to South Africa. It grows on mossy ledges, cliffs up to 1300m and is a beautiful splash of colour in our greenhouse in the Autumn. . . . #orchids #orquídeas #蘭 #flower #flowerphotography #flowersonfriday #conservation

Stenoglottis Bill Fogarty

The flying ducks are starting to take off again! First Caleana major (large duck orchid) I've seen this spring just out near the Genoa River, VIC. A few more ducks nearby but not in full flower yet -no plants at all in several spots where there're usually found #orchids #ozplants

More copper beard orchids (Calochilus campestris) near Mallacoota, VIC. Haven't seen a lot of orchids out in forested areas in this area so far this warm/dry spring but still a good range of species out in heathland and open grassland #orchids #ozplants #inthefield #spring

Lots of Thelymitra pauciflora (slender sun orchids) flowering just out the backdoor at home today (Corunna, NSW). This sp. can be very shy to flower - most plants here only open once for several hrs on a warm/humid morning. 150+ plants in bud/flower this yr #orchids #ozplants

Drone photo of #Hildegardia erythrosiphon #Malvaceae observed blooming in October at #Kirindy Forest #Menabe W #Madagascar

Cobalt sage 😇

Possible Blotched Diuris (D. 'Gippsland Plains'/D. meridionalis ms), hybrid or intermediate? - Genoa VIC. Has been recorded here in the past but now thought to be restricted to C Gippsland plains -so an interesting #orchid if not just a form of D. punctata (also nearby) #ozplants

Dipodium punctatum (purple hyacinth orchid), Corunna, NSW. This is the least common of the 3 x local Dipodium spp. and often the last to flower. Out early here in mid-Nov - last yr didn't see them until Jan! First Dipodium I've seen in flower so far this yr. #orchids #ozplants

Late-flowering purple donkey orchid (Diuris punctata) variations near Genoa, VIC. Blotched form looks a lot like a hybrid with the blotched donkey orchid (D. meridionalis ms) which has been recorded near here in the past but not for some time. #orchids #ozplants #biodiversity

Late Leopard Orchid (Diuris semilunulata) near Square Rock, Namadgi NP, ACT. Another orchid out a little earlier than usual in the mountains this year - grows alongside Diuris sulphurea in places (with some possible hybrids of the two) #orchids #canberra #ozplants #inthefield

Interesting beard orchid (Calochilus sp.) near Narrabarba, NSW. Probably C. campestris but some similarities to C. saprophyticus which has been recorded near this location. Very shy to flower - usually only opens for a day or two. #orchids #ozplants #inthefield

Veined sun orchid (Thelymitra cyanea) in swampy heathland near Monga, NSW. The in-rolled tips of the yellow lateral lobes are an attractive feature of this summer-flowering sp. usually found above 1000m alt. although some coastal populations do occur. #orchids #summer #ozplants

Austral Leek Orchid (Prasophyllum australe) near Monga, NSW. Large no.s of these large summer-flowering leek orchids emerged at this location after the 2020 bush fires but have seen only a handful of plants in recent years #orchids #ozplants #summer

Horned Orchids (Orthoceras strictum) near the Betka River, VIC. First time I've seen this species at this location southwest of Mallacoota - in coastal heathland about 50m from the beach. Only found two plants out - with older flowers already finished. #orchids #summer #ozplants

A second population of Europe’s rarest fern, Stenogrammitis myosuroides, located by Ash de Vos in 2022. This new population appears to be doing well and is over 20km from the original site found by @NimbosaEcology in 2019! Co. Kerry, 06-Jan-2024. BSBI: Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland

Early Purple orchid. This white version was standing out among a sea of purple.

Stenoglottis fimbriata