Volunteers and scientists work to re-introduce critically endangered rosella spider orchid

In a small greenhouse outside Melbourne, volunteers and scientists from the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria are finalising the preparation of roughly 500 rosella spider orchid seedlings for field planting. The critically endangered Caladenia rosella, which exists nowhere else, has its population set to almost double after the orchids are moved to a concealed fifth habitat where the native bee Leioproctus platycephalus is present.

Growing the plants from seed demands sterile lab work, a symbiotic fungus of the genus Serendipita, and years of careful nurturing before they can survive in the wild. The operation, supported by Nature Conservancy Australia, also highlights the broader threat to over 200 Australian orchid species listed as at risk. Project lead Megan Hirst emphasizes the need for continued funding to replicate this model for other endangered plants. The planting day attracted volunteers from across Victoria, underscoring community commitment to biodiversity conservation.