The rabbit orchid is well named
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (325720)
Rockingham, Australia
September 19, 2018 4:13am CST
Australia has a number of wildflowers known as ‘orchids’. These are not at all like the orchids grown in home gardens and hot houses. Both types have the same family name, Orchidaceae, but then the classification is very different. The wildflower orchids belong to several different genera. The ‘rabbit orchid’ or Leptoceras menziesii, shown in the photo is the only one in its particular genus.
It was one of the first West Australian orchids to be described and only flowers after a fire. It is slender with small white, pink and red-coloured flowers. It grows to 30cm (10 inches) and is endemic to the south of Australia. I saw this pretty little orchid for the first time last weekend. The top petals do look like rabbit ears don’t they?
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17 responses
Oh wow, I do see the donkey ears!!! There are so many interesting species of plants out there . . . how neat to be able to see them in person!!
@Nickzter1331 (4229)
• Philippines
19 Sep 18
,,,,nice.. so beautiful.. thanks for the information..
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (169933)
• United States
19 Sep 18
They do, and they are very pretty.
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@JudyEv (325720)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Sep 18
There is a zebra orchid which has lovely stripes too. And a bee orchid - all sorts of different ones.
@JudyEv (325720)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Sep 18
I presume the seed pods won't open unless subjected to heat. That is the usual pattern with plants that only bloom after a fire.
@DaddyEvil (137145)
• United States
23 Sep 18
Those are beautiful! And yes, I agree, those petals do look like bunny ears, Judy! 
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@JudyEv (325720)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 Sep 18
There is a donkey orchid too with slightly fatter ears.
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
24 Sep 18
A most unusual orchid. Never heard of it.
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@arunima25 (85269)
• Bangalore, India
19 Sep 18
They look lovely and surely the petals look like rabbit ears, It flowers only after a fire.....I am little confused here. What does this actually mean?
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