Scientific Name: Spiranthes australis

Common Name: lowland spiral-orchid

Family Classification (Clade): Monocots

Family: Orchidaceae

Form Description: Summer flowering orchid with a loose basal rosette of 3-5 dark green, shiny leaves.

Height (m): 0.25 – 0.4

Flowers: 10-60 brilliant pink and white (rarely completely white) flowers arranged in a dense spiral up the wiry stem. Labellum is 3-lobed with a fringed margin.

Municipality
Break O’DayBurnieCentral HighlandsDerwent ValleyDorsetFlindersGlamorgan-Spring BayGlenorchyHuon ValleyKing IslandLatrobeLauncestonMeander ValleyNorthern MidlandsSouthern MidlandsTasmanWest CoastWest Tamar
Plant Communities
Alpine and Sub-alpine VegetationHeathSedgeland and Wetland
Habitat Notes

Grows in wet to poorly drained marshes and sedgelands on peaty or silty soils that are usually waterlogged in winter and spring. In drier areas plants typically grow around marshes in a narrow strip between dry ground and the permanently inundated centre. Widespread and locally fairly common throughout the state including King Is. from lowland to 800m.

Site Tolerance

Exposed, Moist, Waterlogged

Soil Tolerance

Clay, Loam, Nutrient-poor, Poorly-drained, Sandy

Frost Tolerance

Hardy

Propagation Calendar

  • Flowering Month
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • Seed Collecting Month
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • Sowing Month
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • Cutting Month
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Propagation Method
Specialist Method

Seed Information

Seed Treatment Notes

Orchid seeds are very minute yellow, brown or blackish dust-like particles. Orchid seeds are produced within a capsule that splits at maturity and releases thousands to millions of seeds. Dispersed by wind and water and only germinate following infection of the embryo by a suitable mycorrhizal fungus. Very few seeds become mature plants. For more information see Jones, Wapstra, Tonelli, Harris (1999): The Orchids of Tasmania.