A native species of orchid, thought extinct for the best part of a century, has been rediscovered by two orchid enthusiasts in the Greater Geelong region.
The Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) and plant sciences department at the Royal Botanic Gardens (RBG) Melbourne have since been working together to conserve and protect the find.
The Dwarf Spider-Orchid (Caladenia pumila) had not been seen since 1926.Hans and Christa Korth discovered the two plants in a Parks Victoria reserve. Subsequent searches have yet to find any more, with the two plants making up the total known population of the species.
Senior DSE Scientist, Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Dr Michael Duncan, said: “This is an incredibly exciting discovery. It is the botanical equivalent of finding a Thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger).
Other than its rarity, the greatest threats to this species are trampling, browsing and theft.
A range of works have been carried out to protect the species, including hand-pollination to encourage seed production, the isolation of the mycorrhizal fungi associated with the orchid and the collection of seed.
Attempts are being made to propagate Caladenia pumila through the Orchid Conservation Program at both the RBG Melbourne and DSE Horsham so the plants can be reintroduced to the wild.
For the protection of the species the exact location remains undisclosed.
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