Warty Hammer Orchid
The Warty Hammer Orchid is one of the most easily recognisable species of Hammer Orchid, as its labellum is covered in numerous dark warts that inspired the orchid’s common name. It is also among the taller species, and the flower stalks can reach a height of up to 40 cm. Nevertheless, the orchids are generally very difficult to locate, as they don’t stand out very well against the surrounding vegetation. The small, pale-green leaves are often much easier to find than the flowers, in particular as they tend to form small colonies in open, sandy areas.
As with other species of Hammer Orchid, the Warty Hammer Orchid uses sexual deception to attract male thynnid wasps as pollinators. When a male wasp grasps the labellum and attempts to fly off with the suspected female, a special hinge mechanism will flip the labellum over and bring the wasp in contact with the stigma and pollen, thereby pollinating the orchid. The Warty Hammer Orchid occasionally forms hybrids with the similar-looking Slender Hammer Orchid (Drakaea gracilis), in particular along the Darling Scarp east of Perth where both species are known to co-occur.
The Warty Hammer Orchid is endemic to south-western Australia where it grows in open, sandy areas in woodlands and winter-wet flats. It is mostly restricted to the higher-rainfall areas south-west of a line from Perth to Albany, with scattered populations extending to near Watheroo in the north and Bremer Bay in the east. The Warty Hammer Orchid is the second-most common and widespread Hammer Orchid after the King-in-his-carriage (Drakaea glyptodon) and is not currently considered to be under threat.