Glossodia major

ORCHIDACEAE
Purple Cockatoo, Waxlip Orchid.



Beautiful slender 12 to 32 cm high stems, slender leaves.

2 or 3 long narrow, grasslike leaves, 10 to 20cm long x 6 to 10 mm wide.

5 petals, most commonly purple blue, white inner petal & yellow on inner throat, but variation in colour is common from deep purple to a rare white form, up to 6 cm in diam. The one pictured was 3cm diam. Flowers Aug to Oct.

Found in eastern Qld & central & eastern NSW, VIC, SA & TAS on undisturbed sites in forests & woodlands.

Difficult to cultivate & transplanted plants tend not to last long as they are dependant on a symbiotic soil fungi for nutrition.