(Calochilus richae)
Calochilus richae, commonly known as the bald-tip beard orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to a small area in Victoria. It is a rare species, discovered in 1928 but not seen again until 1968 and its numbers are in decline. It has a single dark green leaf and up to five reddish brown flowers with darker stripes and a labellum with short, spiky, purplish "hairs". Calochilus richae is a terrestrial, perennial, deciduous, herb with an underground tuber and a single dark green, linear, channelled leaf 150–300 mm (6–10 in) long and 10–13 mm (0.4–0.5 in) wide. The leaf is fully developed at flowering time. Up to five reddish brown flowers with darker stripes, 30–35 mm (1.2–1.4 in) long and 20–25 mm (0.8–1 in) wide are borne on a flowering stem 200–360 mm (8–10 in) tall. Individual flowers last for between two and four days. The dorsal sepal is egg-shaped, 12–15 mm (0.5–0.6 in) long and 7–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) wide. The lateral sepals are a similar length but narrower and the petals are 6–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) wide. The labellum is flat, narrow near its base then egg-shaped, 12–15 mm (0.5–0.6 in) long and 7–8 mm (0.28–0.31 in) wide. Three quarters of the labellum is covered with short, spiky purple calli and the tip tapers to a short "tail". The column has two purple "eyes" connected by a ridge. Flowering occurs in September and October. The bald-tip beard orchid grows in hilly open forest. It is only known from a single population of fewer than twenty plants near Rushworth. Calochilus richae was first formally described in 1929 by William Henry Nicholls from a specimen collected near Whroo and the description was published in The Victorian Naturalist.The specific epithet (richae) honour Mrs. Edith Rich who discovered the species. Nicholls published the name Calochilus richii, Australian authorities currently use the spelling Calochilus richiae but World Checklist of Selected Plant Families uses Calochilus richae.