like ailing children
convalescing in mom's arms
oak trees heal orchids
***Someone gave me a throw away plant with only one leaf left. So I blessed it and put it up in an oak. This is the result! I had to make some art out of it too. :)
Very happy to finally receive Adam Karremans' book "Demystifying Orchid Pollination: Stories of Sex, Lies and Obsession"! I reviewed the manuscript for
Kew Publishing and they kindly sent me a copy. #orchids#botany#pollinators
@senanthic
I took SO many pictures when I did visit the Orchid Show but it's been a while. I currently have only 2 totally dead orchids in my collection and I'll probably wait a few months before I attempt another. It's one of those plants that I grow really well until I don't. Not much clue what has made the difference. Still, they bloom for a REALLY long time. in most cases.
Freak midge orchids (Corunastylis apostasioides / Genoplesium apostasioides) near Monga, NSW. Very small self-pollinating flowers rarely open fully (if at all) and sometimes only one single flower at a time. I've only ever seen one fully-open flower on any plant at this location (in 2021!)
Eriochilus cucullatus (Eastern Bunny Orchid - aka 'Parson's Bands') near Mongarlowe, NSW. Very widespread autumn-flowering orchid in eastern Australia - can also sometimes be seen out in late summer at this location.
Midge orchids near Monga, NSW - probably Corunastylis ostrina* (purple midge orchids) which are more common nearby at Mongarlowe, although there are several very similar dark midges found in this area. Have only ever seen a couple of these tiny summer-flowering orchids at this location. *Still Genoplesium ostrinum in NSW and other places.
Spiranthes australis (Austral Ladies Tresses) near Monga, NSW. A very widespread orchid in eastern AUS - generally a late-summer flowering species at this location but some plants can usually still be seen out in early autumn.
I wanted to remind all those in the St Louis area and anyone visiting over the next month that the orchid show will be at the Missouri Botanical Gardens Jan 27th-Feb 25th this year. 🌺 It's included with the general admission and gives you a chance to see some greenery during this dreary time of year. ❄️🌧️
Large Sickle Greenhoods - Pterostylis falcata - near Square Rock, Namadgi NP, ACT. This impressive summer-flowering orchid grows alongside Large Mountain Greenhoods - T. monticola - in swampy grassland at this location (at just over 1000m alt.)
Kelton's Leek Orchid (Prasophyllum keltonii) variations growing close together near Namadgi NP, ACT. Flower colour ranges from lime green to deep purple in this rare species only known from 2 sites. Almost all of the ACT alpine leek orchids are summer-flowering with several species flowering into early-autumn.
Large mountain greenhoods (Pterostylis monticola) near the Cotter River, ACT. Like most of the larger greenhood orchids found at altitude in the ACT P. monticola is summer-flowering with some plants still in flower as late as March.
Summer-flowering orchids near Genoa Creek, VIC - Orthoceras strictum (horned orchid) and Cryptostylis subulata (large tongue orchid). First time I've seen O. strictum at this exact location - but could only find the one plant in flower.
Summer greenhoods (Pterostylis decurva) near Corin, ACT. Fairly widespread summer-flowering greenhood usually found above 800m altitude in ACT/NSW (also VIC + TAS). Can grow in large colonies but I've only ever seen scattered plants at this location.
Large tongue orchids (Cryptostylis subulata) in coastal heathland near the Betka River, VIC. The flowering period is quite long on this species (up to 2 months) with many plants having both old and current flowers + new buds still to emerge on display at the end of December. This extended flowering seems to work pretty well with hundreds of plants out at this location!
The final day of ‘23, a new orchid flower opened 🤗 The last three are waiting for ‘24, hope the year has more good things in store, peace and unity especially.
To send off the year, a bonus apistogramma and a pleco on leaf cleaning duty for a Red Tiger Lotus, started the tank almost 7mo ago!
Rosy hyacinth orchids (Dipodium roseum) near Gipsy Point, VIC. This is the most common species of these leafless mycoheterotrophic orchids found in East Gippsland but these are the only ones I've ever seen at Gipsy Point (as I usually don't drop by this far into summer!)
