Christmas Bells

Christmas Bells
Christmas Bells - Blandfordia nobilis

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Corunastylis species in the Shoalhaven (some of them)

Here are some of the Corunastylis species which Alan and I found on Sunday and Monday.

Some were just finishing, others just starting. Of course there are many more than these species to be found, but these are what we did manage to track down.




We found a few finished flowers of Corunastylis apostasioides, and just one which still had one open flower. Unfortunately, I did not photograph it, as it was not particularly photogenic. Here is one I "prepared earlier" as TV Chefs say.
Corunastylis apostasioides - one flower open
Click to enlarge image.


I stayed over at Alan and Michelle's place (thanks Michelle) and we went out the next morning in search of Corunastylis despectans.These plants were at Tomerong.

These tiny flowers were just starting to bloom, it seems. 
Not many available to be photographed.
The flowers are very fine, with pointed sepals
and not a large dorsal sepal.
While the base colour is reddish, they overall impression
is of a slightly built, silvery red flower.
The stems were about 180mm high (about 8 inches).
Corunastylis despectans.
We then decided to go looking for some Corunastylis plants which normally are to be found, at Vincentia. These plants have not yet been named, and so are still given the made-up name Corunastylis sp. aff oligantha. It is not that named species (the Mongarlowe Midge Orchid), but is very close to it. I like to refer to it as the Vincentia Midge Orchid.
Vincentia Midge Orchid (as yet un-named)
After lunch at a cafe in Vincentia, we went to the Nebraska Estate, St George's Basin. We went looking for Corunastylis ventricosa (which we found -  but which I will not show tonight). Instead, I will show you some Corunastylis laminata which we also found.
Corunastylis laminata
the so-called "Red Midge Orchid"
On the way home, up through Kangaroo Valley 
I stopped to photograph several of the better small waterfalls
above the Barrengarry Range.
These falls flow permanently, but are normally
not visible from the Kangaroo Valley below.

This Falls is the one close to the Lookout
at Manning Lookout.
Waterfall in gorge west from Manning Lookout

These Falls are sometimes referred to as
Bridal Veil Falls
I find that name too cliched, and overused.
These falls are below the Grotto which is accessed by track
 - east from - Manning Lookout.
Second waterfall near Manning Lookout
East from the Lookout point.

3 comments:

Mr. Smiley said...

Hi Denis

Nice blog and it seems there's no end to the variety of orchids you come up with. There's something neat about he Vincentia-Huskisson area. I described a new species of short-winged katydid in the genus Requena from Huskisson. It is distinguished by its song which is different from R. baraya, a more widespread species along the coast in heathy areas where it is at home in Gahnia. R. baraya is in the vegetation in front of the Vincentia High School. R. pipa was found in a clump of Lomandra along the waterfront at Huskisson.
Dave Rentz

Denis Wilson said...

Thanks Dave
Aaah, Vincentia.
The Corunastylis are just down the road from where you found your Katydid - on the rock shelf behind the Primary School.
It is a great area.
My friend from Nowra says that Vincentia and Huskisson get much more rain than Nowra.
Cheers
Denis

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