[glos-o-dee-er]
From glossa, a tongue, and oidos, like; referring to the tongue-like appendage within the flowers.
An Australian genus of five species. Usually hairy plants. Leaf solitary, oblong or lanceolate. Flowers one or two. Sepals and petals obtuse, nearly equal, spreading. This genus is closely allied to Caladenia, differing in the absence of calli on the surface of he lip, but having at its base calli-like appendages, distinct and large in West Australian species. It is divided into two sections, which might easily be considered distinct genera-one, peculiar to the Eastern States only, having one bifid (or cleft) appendage the base of the column; the other, endemic to Western Australia, with two basal appendages to the column. West Australian species are known as "Enamel" "Wax" or "China Orchids" because of the shining appearance of the waxy upper surface of the flowers which are heavily spotted on the under side.

G. Brunonis, Endlicher; honouring Robert Brown.
"Purple enamel orchid"
Stem 6 in. to 1 ft. Leaf narrow-lanceolate, 1 to 3 in. long. Flowers, one, two, or three, upper surface purple, shining, under surface whitish, purple spotted. Sepals and petals 1/2 to 3/4 in. long, spreading. Lip inconspicuous, white, pointed and abruptly recurved at tip, shorter than the column, lanceo1ate or linear. Column half as long as sepals, with a broad wing produced from behind the anther into a concave hood, and two prominent calli at base. Favours sandy soil among jarrah trees. A common species.
W.A.: Widely distributed. August - December.

G. intermedia, Fitzgerald; intermediate.
Stem slender, five or six. Leaf oblong, 2 or 3 in. long. Flowers lilac-purple, solitary, sepals and petals about 1/2 in. long ovate-lanceolate, blunt, glossy. Lip about 1-3 in. long, linear, obtuse, twice duplicate towards the end, not emarginate (notched) with two enlargements towards the end, column winged from the base to above the anther. Note by Fitzgerald:
"The flowers of this species resemble G. Brunonis, but it flowers later, and the lip and calli at the base are more like G. emarginata. Column narrower than in either," Seldom collected.
W.A.: Swan View. September.

G. emarginata, Lindley; emarginate.
"Pink enamel orchid"
A beautiful species with large rose-pink flowers, spotted underneath, more frequently 1-flowered than G. Brunonis. Lip red, tip U-shaped, with three longitudinal ridges, often exceeding the hooded column in length, reduplicate. Calli-like appendages at its base as long as lip, orange-yellow tipped with purple. A common species.
W.A.: Widely distributed. August - December.