University of Western Australia professor Kingsley Dixon said one of the nine species of Drakaea orchid was already extinct and the others are endangered, along with its pollinator, the Zaspilothynnus wasp.

The Drakaea orchid was a unique plant as its look and smell offered a "false promise of sex to male wasps".

"It produces a chemical fragrance that is almost like magic as it matches the fragrance by the female wasp," Mr Dixon said.

"It's learnt to copy the female wasp's sexual fragrance and it's so perfect the male wasp will try to mate with the flower."

Therefore, the plant is pollinated without having to produce "costly" food as a lure to its pollinators.

A team of researchers from The University of Western Australia, Kings Park and Botanic Garden and the Australian National University are learning to grow the orchid to reintroduce it into nature reserves.

"We have got flowering plants in our glass house and we're beginning the journey back to the bush," Mr Dixon said.

They are also trying to understand the chemical signal between the wasp and the flower which will eventually be created in a lab. It will then be used to lure the wasp.

By identifying the compounds involved in ensuring the orchids’ pollination, and knowing how to attract the wasp, researchers hope to preserve the plant.

Mr Dixon said Drakaea orchid would become extinct without human intervention.

"If we did nothing there will be little chance this orchid will survive in the next couple of decades," he said.