Blue Mountains National Park wildflowers - Pea Flowers, Orchids, Lillies & Irises

Pea Flowers, Orchids, Lillies & Irises of the
Blue Mountains National Park

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Pea Flowers, Orchids, Lillies & Irises
Families Fabaceae, Orchidaceae, Liliaceae* & Iridaceae

With over 1,100 species, the Pea Flower family is one of the largest in Australia.

There are about 1,000 species of Orchids in Australia and as many as 35,000 species worldwide - making it the world's largest flower family.

* Most of the Australian species in the Liliaceae Family have recently been reclassified into a dozen or so other botanical families.

The Iris family is represented throughout the world by freesias, gladiolis and irises - and in Australia by the Genus Patersonia.

Pea flowers have five petals.
The standard or banner, two wings, and two petals, usually fused together, referred to as the keel.

An index to the images included below

Pea Flowers

Broad-leaf Wedge Pea
Clustered Bitter-pea
Common Hovea
Dainty Wedge Pea
Dense Phyllota
Dillwynia brunioides
Dillwynia elegans
Gorse Bitter Pea
Halo Bush-pea
Heathy Mirbelia
Heathy Parrot Pea
Large Wedge Pea
Large-flowered Mirbelia
Leafless Globe-pea
Mirbelia baueri
Native Holly
Pultenaea canescens
Rough Bush-pea
Sword Bossiaea
Variable Bossiaea

Orchids

Chocolate-Lip Leafy Greenhood
Dusky Fingers
Large Duck Orchid
Large Tongue Orchid
Native Potato
Nodding Greenhood
Pink Fingers
Red Beardie
Slender Sun Orchid
Small Waxlip Orchid
Spotted Sun Orchid
Tall Leek Orchid

Lillies

Alania endlicheri
Common Fringe Lily
Golden Weather-grass
Nodding Chocolate Lily
Rush Lily
Tufted Blue-lily

Irises

Dwarf Purple Flag
Leafy Purple Flag
Silky Purple Flag

Other attractions of the Blue Mountains National Park

Although it isn't the highest peak in the Blue Mountains, Mt. Hay (944m) can be seen and easily identified from the Cumberland Plains of Sydney.

The early white settlers called it Round Hill, and in the decades before the Blue Mountains were crossed, I can image they would have gazed at this distant hill and wondered what lay beyond it.

Mt. Hay can be accessed by road from Leura - along Mt. Hay Rd. It is unsealed for most of the way, and is narrow in places and can be very rough.

At the end of the road, there are several walking tracks. One to Mt. Hay, another heading west that provides great views of the Grose Valley.

Caution should be exercised when venturing out to Mt. Hay and especially if going on any walks, as the weather can change quickly, signs are negligible, water is not for drinking and people are scarce.

Pea Flowers - family Fabaceae

Select the thumbnail image to see the full image.

Bossiaea genus
Sword Bossiaea Bossiaea ensata This low sprawling plant has no leaves. Its green keel, and the red at the back of the standard, is a good way to identify it - see large image. Its flat stems are 4-5mm wide; the flowers 10mm across.	Variable Bossiaea Bossiaea heterophylla Flowering in Autumn, this, plus its variable leaves and largish crimson keel identify it. The leaves vary on the plant and may be ovate or thin, and also vary in size
Daviesia genus
Gorse Bitter Pea Daviesia ulicifolia This common pea flower is characterised by its sharp but flat leaves and sharp branches (spines). It flowers in spring.	Clustered Bitter-pea Daviesia corymbosa A stunning display of dark yellow and crimson pea flowers clustered together.
Dillwynia genus
*Dillwynia brunioides* Sadly, this beautiful plant has no common name. The flowers are about 13mm wide and the warty leaves 7-8mm long. Here's another image that shows the more usual spreading leaves.	*Dillwynia elegans* The broad standard identifies it as a Dillwynia species. Dillwynia elegans is identified by its terete (cylindrical), glabrous (non-hairy) and warty leaves that have a point that is occasionally bent, and its glabrous calyx. It was formerly called Dillwynia floribunda var. teretifolia.	Heathy Parrot Pea Dillwynia retorta Probably the most common Dillwynia, it is recognised by its twisted leaves Here's another image showing it being eaten by what looks like a weevil. [There's an estimated 80,000 beetle species in Australia.]
Gompholobium genus Golden Glory Peas
Large Wedge Pea Gompholobium grandiflorum Distinguished from its siblings by its sets of three heavily recurved leaves. The flowers are 20mm wide.	Dainty Wedge Pea Gompholobium glabratum Its 10mm wide flowers have the most beautiful yellow colour. It is identified by its pinnate leaves and warty stems. Here's another image.	Broad-leaf Wedge Pea Gompholobium latifolium Identified by its broad leaves - well, broader than the Large Wedge Pea - and its ciliate (hairy) keel. Growing up to 3 metres in height, it is the largest of the Wedge Peas.
Mirbelia genus
Heathy Mirbelia Mirbelia rubiifolia The pink pea flowers and heavily "veined" leaves identify this delightful small plant.	Large-flowered Mirbelia Mirbelia platylobioides Historically called Mirbelia grandiflora it also exhibits the heavily veined leaves of its sibling to the immediate left. The flower is 10-12mm wide. Here's another image. [Note: The name "Large-flowered Mirbelia" is not commonly accepted.]	*Mirbelia baueri* The flowers are 10mm long & wide. The plant shown here had upturned wings and was prostrate; its 8-10mm leaves were smooth with a ridge on the top. Here's another image.
Pultenaea genus Bush Peas
Rough Bush-pea Pultenaea scabra Identified by its squared-off leaves that have weak mucro, and the tell-tale stipules that characterises the Pultenaea genus. [Stipules are the small leafy growth at the base of leaves.]	Halo Bush-pea Pultenaea linophylla A small scraggy plant whose spring flowers are about 6mm across and have a red keel. Its leaves are 10mm long, have a down-turned tip and are hairy underneath. It is also known as the Small-leaved Bush-pea.	*Pultenaea canescens* Pultenaea canescens Only found in the upper Blue Mountains, it is identified by its hairy concave leaves and yellow keel. Its bracteole is reddish brown which helps distinguish it from P. tuberculata (which has a red keel).
other peaflower genera
Common Hovea Hovea linearis Flowering in late winter, this beautiful pea flower is also known as the Erect Hovea or Blue Bonnet. The latter being a delightful name.	Leafless Globe-pea Sphaerolobium minus Differentiated from S. vimineum by its shorter wings that expose its keel, and having only a hint of red on some flowers, and none on most. The flowers are barely 5mm wide and long.	Dense Phyllota Phyllota squarrosa Yet another stunning pea-flower. It is separated from its siblings by its yellow mucro (leaf tip). Its elongated standard is 8mm high, and its leaf margins revolute (rolled-back).

Native Holly Podolobium ilicifolium Easily identified by its holly like leaves, it is also known as the Prickly Shaggy Pea. Shaggy Pea being the common name of the Podolobium genus.

Orchids - family Orchidaceae - also see our Orchids web page.

Large Tongue Orchid Cryptostylis subulata Also known as the Duck Orchid due to its bill or tongue like labellum - which is around 30mm in length. The sepals and other petals are small and spike like.	Large Duck Orchid Caleana major Resembling a duck in flight, with its sepals for wings, its labellum as its head and its column for a body. This small orchid's labellum snaps shut against the column trapping the visiting insect and turning it into a pollinator.	Native Potato Gastrodia sesamoides On first appearance it looks like a withered orchid - but its light brown flowers and stems are its natural colours. Also known as Cinnamon Bells.
Pink Fingers Caladenia carnea A small orchid that is 20-30mm across whose colour varies from near white to dark pink. Here is an image showing its distinguishing characteristics.	*NSW Flora Online* says that Caladenia carnea "hybridizes with C. catenata and C. fuscata, so larger populations may incorporate confusing hybrid swarms." just what the amateur botanist wants to hear ... C. catenata isn't found in the Upper Blue Mountains, and as far as I can ascertain - C. carnea's labellum lobe doesn't protrude, its labellum tip is yellow and it tends to be pinker. C. fuscata's labellum lobe protrudes and its labellum tip is white, and it is smaller.	Dusky Fingers Caladenia fuscata Flowering in early Spring, Dusky Fingers' sepals and petals are less than 7mm long. Here is an image showing its distinguishing characteristics.
Slender Sun Orchid Thelymitra pauciflora A small orchid about 12mm wide. Its petal-like labellum is narrower than the other petals & sepals. Here's a paler form.	Spotted Sun Orchid Thelymitra ixioides var. ixioides Also known as the Blue Sun Orchid, it has dark blue dots on its upper three segments. The flower is 25mm wide, but needs a sunny day to open. It is best identified by the finger like papillae as not all Spotted Sun Orchids have spots.	Small Waxlip Orchid Glossodia minor A small orchid that is 20mm wide. The flower stem is leafless - the leaf leaving the stem near the ground.
Nodding Greenhood Orchid Pterostylis nutans One of the more easily recognised Greenhoods due to its nodding stance. It appears from late Autumn through to Spring. The 3-6 leaves of its rosette have scalloped edges.	Chocolate-Lip Leafy Greenhood Bunochilus chocolatinus Similar to the Tall Greenhood this Central Tableland's species is distinguished by its milk chocolate coloured labellum. The Tall Greenhood's labellum is also hairy. Flowering plants do not have a rosette. The Leafy Greenhoods have been placed in a new genera - Bunochilus	Tall Leek Orchid Prasophyllum elatum Also known as the Piano Orchid, this orchid occurs in all other Australian States except the North Territory. Its long leaf stem can be seen in the background.
Red Beardie Calochilus paludosus Also known as the Red Beard Orchid, it is distinguished from its siblings by the lack of glands on its "collars". Its long, exposed and bent labellum is another key. Here's another image.

Lillies

Golden Weather-grass Hypoxis hygrometrica [Family HYPOXIDACEAE] Also known as yellow stars, the flower has a 25mm wing-span.	Common Fringe Lily Thysanotus tuberosus [Family ANTHERICACEAE] The fringe on the petals of this small (20mm) flower is stunning.	Rush Lily Sowerbaea juncea [Family ANTHERICACEAE] Flowering in spring and liking damp heath, it is also known as the Vanilla Lily due to its scent. It is the only species of this genus in NSW. Here's two more images - one showing the flower open; the other showing the many flowers in a cluster.
Nodding Chocolate Lily Dichopogon fimbriatus [Family ANTHERICACEAE] This spring and summer flowering lily has a downward facing light blue flower that is 8mm wide. It is identified by its bent filaments and the double appendage at the end of its anther. Apparently it has a chocolate scent - which I will sense next season. Here's another image. [The stamen consists of an anther and a filament (stalk).]	Tufted Blue-lily Thelionema caespitosum [Family PHORMIACEAE] Distinguished from the Dianella and Stypandra genera by its upward facing flowers and coiled anthers. There are three species in this genus. T. umbellatum has white flowers; T. grande isn't found in the Blue Mountains. The flowers are 25mm across and appear is spring and summer.	*Alania endlicheri* [Family ANTHERICACEAE] This tiny (4 mm wide) summer flowering lily is found on damp cliff faces. It is the only species in the genus.

Irises - family Iridaceae - also see our Native Irises web page.

Dwarf Purple Flag Patersonia longifolia
It can be distinguished by its leaves - which are bluish-green, very narrow (2mm), sometimes twisted and have hairs crisscrossing them.
The flowers also seem to be a deeper purple.

Silky Purple Flag Patersonia sericea
Its 50mm flowers appear in spring and early summer. It can be identified by the silky hairs on its spathe (bud), wider leaves (5mm) and its flower stems coming from its fan-like base.

Leafy Purple Flag Patersonia glabrata
The Leafy Purple Flag's flowers and leaves
are borne on a stem.
Like its siblings, its flowers last barely a day.