Lesser Wanderer Butterfly and a Pointed Greenhood

This is a Lesser Wanderer Butterfly. Danaus petilia (was D. chrysippus petilia) I have seen a few of these Butterflies this year, but not many. This one sat placidly on a stem of Kangaroo Grass, beside a small creek, beside Tourist Road, in Kangaloon.

Lesser Wanderer Butterfly

Here it is sitting on a rock shelf, beside the creek.

Here is the Pointed Greenhood (Pterostylis acuminata). This yet another case of an Orchid which is not supposed to be here. It is meant to be a coastal plant, found at lower altitude. This is on the sandstone plateau, on Tourist Road, Kangaloon, at an altitude of 625 metres (thanks Google Earth). Alan Stephenson has confirmed my tentative ID for this plant. Normally it has fawn tinge to the front of the hood. But the gaping sinus and the pointed labellum are diagnostic.
 

Pterostylis acuminata - note the bulging "sinus"

 Here is another plant, taken two days earlier.

Click to enlarge

Note the pointed labellum

That is the source of the name "acuminata"

Pointed Greenhood - Pterostylis acuminata

My thumb was intended as height gauge. I have placed my fingers to the ground, and stuck my thumb out horizontally. In that position, it is just touching the hood of the flower. That makes the flower 20 cm tall.

Here is the labellum and the sinus, seen from close up, and low down.

Pointed Greenhood - Pterostylis acuminata

The Greenhoods and the Butterfly were about 50 metres apart - hence I have published them together. Some more of the "natural jewels" of Tourist Road, Kangaloon.