Orchid seed as fine as dust.

Today I was showing my friends Owen and Cathryn, and Helen some of the early summer Orchids of Kangaloon. We were accompanied by Cathryn's brother, David and his wife Merle, visitors from Canberra. We had a good fun time  looking for Orchids and other bits and pieces.

There is much of interest about in Kangaloon, (and not just Orchids, you will be pleased to hear). Some of the Orchids are just starting to flower, and some are still hanging around (from Springtime).

Seeds of Thelymitra (Sun Orchids) are as fine as dust

They are wind blown when the capsule is ready to shed.

In this case we experimented by flicking the ripe seed pod.

My photographic assistant counted down 3, 2,1, go.
I took the shot, with a flash, to illuminate the seeds.

Click to enlarge - to see the Orchid seeds better.

I found this Hairy Caterpillar (probably a "Wooly Bear" Caterpillar)

feeding on the leaves of a Hardenbergia violacea (False Sarsparilla)

Head-on view of the "Wooly Bear" caterpillar

Side-on view. Long hairs can cause skin irritation. Two red mites.

We found this Jewel Beetle feeding on 
a low-growing Leptospermum plant

on the edge of Butler's Swamp.

These Beetles love Leptospermum flowers.
As Beetles go this is quite large, flat, and very peaceful.
About 40mm long.

Stigmodera macularia Jewel Beetle

 I like this front on view..

Nice large eyes.

Its eyes look a bit "Possum-like", to me.

 

From the side.

Jewel Beetle - from the side. Stigmodera macularia

• Corunastylis densa (a tiny Midge Orchid), cherry-red in colour - first found in Kangaloon, 16 January 2011.

Corunastylis densa (Kirsten Vine photo)

• Cryptostylis leptochila (Small Tongue Orchid) on Kirkland Road - just starting to bloom.

Cryptostylis leptochila - red velvety labellum with scent glands visible

The way the labellum curves back at the top is typical of this species.

Cryptostylis leptochila - side on view. Labellum reflexed at top.

• Hyacinth Orchids - Dipodium punctata and/or roseum (Kirkland Road) - just starting (Shown yesterday)
• Hyacinth Orchids - Dipodium roseum (definite) at Meryla Pass Rd (on plateau at top end of Griffin's Fire Trail, near Bundanoon Creek - accessed via Fitzroy Falls Rd (Nowra Rd). (Shown yesterday).
• Microtis unifolia, tall Onion Orchids growing amongst Daviesia (Bitter Pea) shrubbery.

Microtis unifolia "Common Onion Orchid"

• Caleana major (Flying Duck Orchid) (some still in flower at Butlers Swamp - dry part, near car park - not in the swampy bit).
• It is one of my favourite Orchids. A good one, like this, always makes me giggle.

•  Gastrodium sp. (Kirkland Road colony) have just a few flowers remaining. Huge seed setting has occurred.
  

Huge number of seeds set in this colony of Potato Orchids.

Close-up of swollen capsules on Gastrodium sp.

• Prasophyllum flavum (one fresh flower) on Tourist Road, in dense cover, growing amongst the Hop Bitter Pea (Daviesia latifolia). I also found 4 more yesterday near Hindmarsh Lookout, (near Belmore Falls).

Prasophyllum flavum (Yellow Leek Orchid) 

HAPPY NEW YEAR 

AND A GREAT 2012 

TO ALL READERS.

A small forest of Potato Orchids.

This morning I showed my friend Kirsten a few plants of the Cinnamon Bells (Potato Orchid), Gastrodia sesamoides. These plants are regularly seen growing in the Robertson Nature Reserve, where they grow around the base of several huge old Pinus radiata trees. These particular plants are the only ground Orchids of which I know, growing in the Robertson Nature Reserve. (There are some epiphytic Orchids growing in there, but not very many).

I have written about these particular plants last year, with comments on how to tell this species from the other local species of Potato Orchid. The other species is known as the Tall Potato Orchid (Gastrodia procera).

I reported three weeks ago on finding them again this year.

This species is fairly consistent in flowering about 3 weeks later than the related species.

Cinnamon Bells, Gastrodia sesamoides

Gastrodia sesamoides growing in the Robertson Nature Reserve.

Gastrodia sesamoides - note how "chunky" the flower is.

note the plump bulb at "base" (top end) of Gastrodia sesamoides flower.

Anyway, I was keen to show these plants to Kirsten, as I had shown her the other species a few weeks ago. So much so that I even warned her of the risk of attack by Leeches, but "trust me, it will be worth it".

Several minutes later, Kirsten was not so sure.

The Leeches were coming out of the forest everywhere.

That is despite the fact that we had both sprayed 

our shoes, socks and ankles with Insect Repellant.

For the record, the Leeches were less than keen on the taste on our boots

and we both escaped without a "bite" - 

but only by repeatedly flicking them off our boots.

Note the orange stripe along the side of the Leech.

Two leeches on Kirsten's shoes at once.

As we left, Kirsten gave out one last squeak, 

as she found this Leech catching a lift on her Camera.
A pretty inventive way of getting to the target person.

It was only a small Leech, but a highly adventurous one.

Australian Land Leech - probably Gnatbobdellida libbata

***************

Anyway, Kirsten and I left Robertson, to go down the hill to Kangaloon.

As I was driving along I got a call from Kirsten telling me to turn around.

She would not tell me what it was she wanted me to see.

She had found a veritable forest of Potato Orchids.

The "Mother Lode" of Potato Orchids which Kirsten found.

This colony of Potato Orchids was so large that 

Kirsten spotted them while driving along the road.

Normally they are hard to see.

Here is a second group in this colony.

They were growing amongst a stand of "Brown Barrell" Eucalypts.

There is deep leaf litter here, which is important to note

as Potato Orchids grow in relation with fungi living in decomposing organic matter.

Note how dense this colony of Potato Orchids is.

These potato Orchids were very large, and strong growing

Perhaps the three inches (75 mm of rain)

in the last week helped boost them.

Some as yet unopened buds of Gastrodia sesamoides.

A particularly strong specimen, growing by itself, 

close to the rest of the colony of Potato Orchids.

A strong specimen of Gastrodia sesamoides

This plant was photographed from about 10 metres away.

I cannot exactly count how many flowers there are

but it seems to be about 25 opened flowers

with a further 10 buds yet to open.

Pretty impressive. 

PlantNET says 

this species normally 2 to 20 flowers.
I have never seen anything like as many flowers on a single stem.

Magnificent head of Gastrodia sesamoides

Even more Potato Orchids, growing at the base of Brown Barrels.

This surely is 

the Mother Lode of Potato Orchids 

in East Kangaloon.

Tall Potato Orchid reappears in the forest

We found a single plant of this species, the Tall Potato Orchid, (Gastrodia procera), last weekend, but it was still in tight bud. Today I managed to find a few more plants.

One plant had been decisively beheaded by one of our local Marsupial friends, no doubt. Wombat signs are very evident in the area, so let's assume one of them to be the guilty party. I have previously seen identical damage with local Hyacinth Orchids - another plant with similar saprophytic habits.

Assumed Wombat damage - a stem completely nipped in half.

This plant seems to grow in association with decaying vegetable matter, of which there is no shortage down in the Eucalypt forest. They are classed as being saprophytic - forming a relationship with a fungus which is breaking down the residual plant material in the dead trees.

Strangely, the remaining plants (not eaten by Wombats) were all slightly deformed - in one case at least, because of insect attack.

Green adult Aphids and swarms of white nymphs

 This is what the plants look like, on the forest floor.

 This flower is held upside down, 

but that is normal for this species.

Gastrodia procera - Tall Potato Orchid

Here is my finger to give a sense of scale.

These flowers are smaller and thinner than the other local species.

Here is a Beetle on another plant. 

Unfortunately I didn't notice the Beetle at the time, 

or I would have gone in for a better shot.

Beetle on the top Orchid flower.

Gastrodia procera - with flowers hanging naturally

Note the recently fallen timber in the background.

These branches are potential food for generations of Orchids to come

as they are classed as saprophytes - living in relation with fungi living off decaying plant matter.

Gastrodia procera - You can see the thin, tall flower stem.

Gastrodia procera flower in situ, with finger for scale.

Note the closed tip of the perianth of this flower.

It is likely that it has closed after pollination by an insect.

The same flower as above turned over to show closed tube.

I wrote about this species last year - from plants found in the same area.

I subsequently wrote a comparative report on the other local species, Gastrodia sesamoides (the so-called Cinnamon Bells Orchid). That plant is less tall than this one, and has chubbier flowers.

Spring Orchids on a sunny day.

 Well, thanks to everyone for their support in organising a sunny day yesterday, for our Orchid tour.

A very pleasant day was had by all.

Confusing, as ever when it comes to working out appropriate IDs for plants

some of which are extremely variable, as you will see.

We started out with the local show-piece Sarcochilus falcatus

Another nice clump of Sarcochilus falcatus.

We then moved down to Kangaloon and found these beauties just opening for the first time this season.

Sun Orchids refuse to open when it is not warm and sunny.
On advice from Colin I have edited several names.

Colin suggests this is Thelymitra x truncata

Thelymitra media - a nice tall, strong Sun Orchid.

 Here is one of the tiny Pink Sun Orchids which are very common locally.

These plants are notorious for opening only in warm sunny weather.

Thelymitra carnea - the Pink Sun Orchid

Next is another common Sun Orchid, the Slender Sun Orchid (Thelymitra pauciflora)

It is not a showy plant.
Pale colour, thin stem, relatively small flower.

Thelymitra pauciflora

Next we get into the hybrid Sun Orchids.

The following plants are all variants on a theme.

They are all descended from Thelymitra ixioides

but they show the parentage of the tiny pink "carnea" as well.

Sun Orchids are notoriously susceptible to hybridisation

as they tend to open at the same time, 

in close proximity to eachother.

The bees and other insects do the rest.

I thought this was Thelymitra x irregularis. But Colin disagrees

Colin thinks this is a pink colour form, of Thel. ixioides

This final plant is a large floppy flower, with some spots, a lilac colour.

But it is the different tip of the column which is most distinctive.

The Sun Orchid which we really wanted to see - Thelymitra kangaloonica - an endangered species known to grow in Butler's Swamp, Kangaloon, was not yet properly open. We found a few in bud, but not nearly as many as last year. Presumably this is down to seasonal variations. 

I have posted an album from yesterday with many more species in flower than in this Blog (because it would take far to long to present and to read through. You can have a quick look, and select certain flowers to look at, if you wish, by going to my Picasa Album for yesterday's outing,  which is now open to public viewing.

It includes three species of Beard Orchids, Flying Duck Orchid, lots of Stegostylas (Caladenia type plants) and a Potato Orchid. It also has photos of another local plant, which is an as-yet un-named Leek Orchid.

A different Potato Orchid

Potato Orchids live in the Robertson Rainforest - but I have only found them in association with some old massive, introduced Pinus radiata trees. That doesn't mean they are not naturally occurring, it just seems to indicate a preference for living in the deep leaf litter at the base of 120 year old Pine Trees.

It is interesting to speculate on whether there is a mycorrhizal association with the Red "Fairy Toadstools" (Amanita muscaria) which I have reported on previously in Robertson, growing in association with old Pine Trees.

There are two plants with flowers in this image
(in front of the old log on the ground).
There are two more stems with buds (further back)
Another shot of the habitat
One plant still has buds, the other is just opening.

Unlike the previous species of Potato Orchid, these ones are Gastrodia sesamoides. I have seen these plants previously, but not really studied them until asked by Alan Stephenson to examine reports of Gastrodia procera in Kangaloon. (Oh, I get it - two species of Potato Orchid, in the local area, not one, eh? I had never noticed the differences.)

The first thing to note is the height.
This plant was 75 cm high (pocket height)
but the others nearby
(and there are nearly always others in this species)
were all much shorter than that - less than knee height.

The second thing to note is the shape of the flower.
The tubular part of the flower (the perianth)
is considerably wider than the flared opening of the flower.
That fact is more evident in the previous photo
where you can see the flower is hanging nearly vertically.

Here is a "portrait" shot

In order to show the two species in comparison,
I have merged the two best shots I have taken this season.
I cannot guarantee the "scale" of the two separate plant images,
but the proportions of the flower on the right (G, sesamoides)
are clearly plumper than the one on the left (G. procera).
The other thing I notice is that the petals of the flower on the left
are more reflexed.
However, I would want to have more flowers to compare
before I declare that to be a "hard and fast rule".

These plants have flowered three weeks later than the first flowers.
But there is an altitude and habitat difference, which might explain the delayed flowering. But these plants (today) are consistent, for I first saw them flower on 15 December 2005.
Very close to the same time, some 5 years ago.

Strange, weird flowers, these Potato Orchids, but they do have a certain charm.