Wallum Study Group
- Plant Name: Dipodium variegatum
- Common Name: Hyacinth Orchid
- Family: Orchidaceae (Orchid family)
A purple terrestrial and leafless orchid which grows to 60 cm and produces up to twelve, sometimes more, mottled flowers on a single stem. The plant is a saprophyte, living off fungi which forms on buried decaying plant and leaf matter. The roots penetrate and draw food from the fungus, as opposed to using water, air and chlorophyll cells, thus allowing the plant to dispense with leaves.
This species of ground orchid has adapted to the low nutrient, sandy soils of wallum habitats and very often at or near the base of mature eucalyptus trees where the build up of leaf mould is plentiful.
Usually flowers in summer and in favourable seasons, a single plant can produce several flowerings. The plant, usually, cannot be grown in home gardens and therefore should remain undisturbed if found in the bush.