Showing posts with label greenhood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label greenhood. Show all posts

Friday, December 12, 2014

Late Spring orchid update

Visitors, a new job and unseasonal weather have curtailed my orchid watching lately. The early-flowering spider orchid flowers are starting to shrivel but that's offset by the summer-flowering orchids like Thelymitra sending up their flower spikes. They could well turn tail and burrow back into the ground after a cold snap sent us back into winter again! We've had a couple of sunny days in December which everyone appreciated - here's the view of Halfmoon Bay from a friend's house a week ago.


The Chiloglottis (Green bird) orchids have started flowering but I'll have to wait for a sunny day to get some better photos of their fascinating structure.


Chiloglottis cornuta
The greenhood orchids continue to delight with their variety and long-flowering season.

Pterostylis, greenhood orchids




The Earina mucronata (bamboo orchid) clump I'd been watching eventually flowered mid-November and it's another one that needs a brighter light to get the best photos - maybe next Spring will be sunnier.


Earina mucronata, bamboo orchid

Close-up of bamboo orchid flower

Bush canopy in the sunshine

Mare's tail clouds heralding windy weather ahead
Last, but not least are some pics of the beautiful spider orchids...



Sunday, December 1, 2013

Orchid Heaven - Tutukiwi (Greenhood orchids)

If you enjoy orchid-hunting then pencil in a trip for November next year. Hugh Wilson, in his 'Field Guide to Stewart Island Plants' identifies 30 species of native orchids found here and whilst I'm getting better at identifying the genus categories (eg Corybas), narrowing it down to the species (eg rivularis) is a lot trickier.

The flowers of our native orchids aren't as showy as their tropical cousins but close-up photos reveal the same intricate structure that is designed for insect pollination. This blog will cover tutukiwi or greenhood orchid,Pterostylis, that has a labellum (tongue) that propels an insect inside the flower when landed on; to get out the insect has to squeeze past the stigma, leaving behind any pollen it brought in and picking up another load to take to the next flower. I pass hundreds of these orchids as I walk home - here's a selection of pics...









Close-up of Pterostylis flower

A group of tutukiwi growing on the bank

Greenhood orchid flower shrivels as ovary capsule swells