4th blogging birthday, Greenhoods on Tourist Road

It is four years today since I made a very tentative start in the world of Blogging - with a single photo of a Flying Duck Orchid.

Oh well, much has happened since then, but I still post about that most bizarre of local Orchids.

Thanks to Anni who helped me get started. And thanks to my loyal readers, without whose readership (and especially their comments) I would not bother to put myself through these daily challenges.

Hello to Caroline, in the local Doctor's surgery - who told me today she reads my Blog! Its great to hear in person from readers.
She said she likes Peonies - she surely knows how to get my attention.

So this Peony is for Caroline.
This is one of the modern hybrid Peonies - "Flame".
Anyway, I haven't posted enough images of Peonies this season.

And now back to Orchids of the season.

Yesterday I went back to Tourist Road, Kangaloon, and took more photos of the Sickle Greenhood (Pterostylis falcata). Amongst conventional Greenhoods (the Pterostylis group), this is a quite spectacular species, with a large pointed "galea" (hood) and a very wide open sinus ("V" shaped front) and a long "labellum" (tongue) sticking out (when set).

I showed some photos of these plants last week, but I did not get one with the labellum "set" (poking out the front of the flower). That's why I went back yesterday.

These plants are growing in a small drainage line - a ditch - which periodically fills with water, but is dry at present. But quite lush, and I am always wary when in such fine potential snake habitat.

As soon as I found the open flower, I knew I was in luck.
You can see the protruding Labellum - at the front of the flower.
One has to be very careful though, not to accidentally kick a stick,
or a piece of grass which might be touching the plant,
as the labellum will pop back inside the flower.
The Labellum is movement sensitive.

Getting down into the ditch, I got this profile shot.

Closer yet.
What a striking Greenhood!
By the time I took this image, I had done some weeding
of extraneous grasses in the background
to clarify the image of the Labellum.
And here is the Labellum - set, ready to be triggered by any insect.

As I was leaving the site, I found these Microtis flowers. They are "Onion Orchids". The flower has a large swollen ovary behind (below) the tiny little "head" - which is the flower proper. These flowers are on a strong vertical stem about 30 cm high. But the flowers themselves are so small that the "ovary" is about the size of a match head.
I believe this to be Microtis parviflora but to be honest I have never been entirely sure about the species distinctions amongst the Microtis genus.
When the photo is fully enlarged (click on the photo) the image is approximately 20 times larger than life size.
Have a look at Colin's page for the two most common species in NSW - see why I cannot be absolutely sure?

From what I have since ascertained (from several different books), this plant is Microtis parviflora, as the labellum is "entire", not notched.