Diuris – Donkey Orchids | Orchids of South-west Australia

The donkey orchids are one of the most well known type of orchids in WA due to their distinctive, bright yellow flowers. As a group, they are common and widespread over the entire south west in a great variety of habitats. They can be found in many areas of remnant bushland in the Perth metropolitan area. There are about 30 named species in WA. The first donkey orchids flower in late June (D. brumalis) with the last flowering into December and January along the south coast.

Diuris brumalis - Winter Donkey Orchid

The Winter Donkey Orchid is one of the first donkey orchids to flower each year, starting in late June. It is common in the hills above Perth.

Diuris brumalis - Winter Donkey Orchid

Diuris longifolia - Purple Pansy Orchid

The Purple Pansy Orchid is much the same in shape and size as the Winter Donkey Orchid but is much more colourful with varying amounts of purple. It is found between Perth and Albany and flowers later in the season, from late September to October.

Diuris longifolia - Purple Pansy Orchid

Diuris jonesii - Dunsborough Donkey Orchid
Diuris amplissima - Giant Donkey Orchid

The Dunsborough Donkey Orchid is similar to the Purple Pansy Orchid. It is distinguished by its larger flowers with brownish, rather than purple flowers. It also has much taller plants and can reach 50cm tall. It is found between Dunsborough and Albany, usually in coastal areas.
The Giant Donkey Orchid is very similar to the Dunsborough Donkey Orchid, differing in having slightly larger flowers and taller stems. It is found in scattered populations between Capel and Mt Barker.

Diuris jonesii - Dunsborough Donkey orchid

Diuris jonesii - Dunsborough Donkey Orchid

Diuris amplissima - Giant Donkey Orchid

Diuris magnifica - Pansy Orchid

This orchid is similar to the Purple Pansy but has larger flowers with less purple colouring and much taller plants. It is common in remnant bushland in Perth and flowers from late August to late September.

Diuris magnifica - Pansy Orchid

Diuris laxiflora - Bee Orchid

The Bee Orchid is common throughout the Darling Range and western wheatbelt. It is a small orchid, about half the size of the Common Donkey Orchid and is usually found in swampy areas.

Diuris laxiflora - Bee Orchid

Diuris drummondii - Tall Donkey Orchid

The Tall Donkey Orchid usually only flowers after a summer burn. Plants are very tall (hence the name), reaching up to 70cm. It is a rare species, found in scattered populations between Perth and Albany.

Diuris drummondii - Tall Donkey Orchid

Diuris pauciflora - Swamp Donkey Orchid

The Swamp Donkey is very similar to the Tall Donkey Orchid, the main difference is much shorter stems and smaller flowers - a "mini Tall Donkey Orchid!" Like the Tall Donkey Orchid, it grows in and around winter wet swamps and flowers only after summer fire. Flowering occurs from November to December.

Diuris pauciflora - Swamp Donkey Orchid

Diuris setacea - Bristly Donkey Orchid

The distinguishing feature of this species is the multiple, thin, spiral leaves. It prefers gravelly soils and is seen at its best after a summer burn. It is widespread from Kalbarri to east of Albany and out to the central wheatbelt.

Diuris setacea - Bristly Donkey Orchid

Diuris corymbosa - Common Donkey Orchid

Very similar to the Winter Donkey Orchid, this species is identified by its large, yellow flowers and straight lateral sepals. It flowers several weeks after the Winter Donkey Orchid, starting in August. It is found mainly in the Darling Range and out as far as the western edge of the Wheatbelt.

Diuris corymbosa - Common Donkey Orchid

Diuris porrifolia - Small-flowered Donkey Orchid

This orchid is similar to the Common Donkey Orchid, but differs in having smaller flowers often with recurved lateral sepals. It is one of the more common donkey orchids found in the western and central Wheatbelt. It can be found in huge colonies.

Diuris porrifolia - Small-flowered Donkey Orchid

Diuris porphyrochila - Yalgorup Donkey Orchid

This donkey orchid is similar to the Common Donkey Orchid, but differs in having more colourful flowers with greater amounts of purple and brown colouring. It is found in Banksia woodlands from Mandurah to Margaret River.

Diuris porphyrochila - Yalgorup Donkey Orchid

Diuris brachyscapa - Western Wheatbelt Donkey Orchid

This donkey orchid is common int he Wheatbelt between Beverley and Ravensthorpe. It is very similar to the Common Donkey Orchid but has slightly smaller flowers.

Diuris brachyscapa - Western Wheatbelt Donkey Orchid

Diuris recurva - Mini Donkey Orchid

The Mini Donkey Orchid is distinguished by its very small flowers and the strongly recurved sepals. It is found between Perth and Kalbarri.

Diuris recurva - Mini Donkey Orchid

Diuris refracta - Dainty Donkey Orchid

The Dainty Donkey Orchid is similar to the Mini Donkey Orchid in that it has strongly recurved lower sepals but has larger flowers and an earlier flowering period, from July to August.

Diuris refracta - Dainty Donkey Orchid

Diuris hazeliae - Yellow Granite Donkey Orchid

This donkey orchid is found in the outer Wheatbelt, between Paynes Find and Balladonia. It is distinguished by having large flowers that are predominately yellow with strongly recurved lateral sepals. It is found almost exclusively on and around granite outcrops.

Diuris hazeliae - Yellow Granite Donkey Orchid

Diuris littoralis - Green Range Donkey Orchid

This donkey orchid similar to the Pansy Orchid, Diuris magnifica, with large, colourful flowers on tall stems. It is found mainly between Albany and Esperance, usually not too far from the coast.

Diuris littoralis - Green Range Donkey Orchid

Diuris laevis - Nanny-goat Orchid

The Nanny Goat is easily identified as it looks significantly different from other donkey orchids. The two 'ears' are held out to each side of the flower and the labellum is rounded and flattened. This orchid grows in swamps and only flowers in the season after a summer fire.

Diuris laevis - Nanny Goat Orchid

Diuris purdiei - Purdie's Donkey Orchid

Purdie's Donkey Orchid is a rare species that has similar looking flowers to the more common Nanny Goat Orchid (Diuris laevis). Like that species, it is only found in the season following summer fire (or a late spring control burn). It is found swampy areas mainly on the coastal plain between Perth and Harvey with a few recently discovered populations in swamps in the Perth hills. Due to habitat loss, it is listed as Threatened Flora.

Diuris purdiei - Purdie's Donkey Orchid