I have a backlog of orchid pics; I try to identify them first but sometimes the flowers haven't opened which makes it trickier to understand the written description - a picture is definitely worth a thousand words! I then wait for the flowers to open but by then have taken photos of other things to write about so get even further behind.
At present it's the turn of
Thelymitra (sun orchid),
Aporostylis (odd-leaved orchid),
Microtis (onion orchid),
Chiloglottis (green bird orchid),
Caladenia (white and pink orchid),
Gastrodia (black orchid) and
Winika (lady's slipper orchid).
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| A clump of Thelymitra (sun orchids) on a road-side bank |
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| Sun orchid - swelling flower buds |
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| Partially opened sun orchid |
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| Thelymitra venosa (veined sun orchid) |
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| I think this is Thelymitra hatchii (blue sun orchid) |
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Close-up of T.hatchii flower centre - Hugh Wilson states that the
flower centre is distinctive for each of the 12 species found in NZ.
There are 4 species of Thelymitra on Stewart Island. |
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| Another view of Thelymitra hatchii |
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| The white sun orchid, Thelymitra longifolia |
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| I think this is Thelymitra pulchella |
There are masses of sun orchids on some roadside banks on Back Road - they must like living here as much as I do :)
