Orchids and other pretty flowers

This post will primarily concern itself with the native orchids found on El Rancho, or in the near vicinity. However, in starting to photograph the orchids I found we were also seeing other nice flowers so have included them also. For an expert view on the vegetation around here see http://www.flickr.com/photos/carwoolaplants maintained by Ros Cornish and John Wilkes. For those who prefer hard copy I recommend "Wildflowers of the Bush Capital" by Ian Fraser and Margaret McJannett.













These first ones of mine are Glossoidea major, and was one of a patch of at least 50 found in the middle paddock on 29 September 2007.







































This could be considered a bit of a cheat since it wasn't actually growing on the grounds of El Rancho. Instead it was located at Cuumbeun NR (on 23 September) about 16km away. However I was the one that spotted it! It has been (tentatively) identified as Prasophyllum odorata but with some misgivings and concern. The guru of Australian orchids has been consulted and the experts will only say it is a leek orchid until the word has been pronounced.
The final word on this specimen came on 2 October in an email from Ros: "Unfortunately there was no trace of the Prasophyllum. It looked as if the 'roos had been snoozing there as the area was messed up with tussocks shredded the way they do. "







Back to El Rancho and we now get to first "little green job". This was growing in some Kunzea scrub and spotted by our friend Jean when it was just a few small leaves. After achieving the photographed state she was able identify it, more or less instantly, as Hymenochillus cycnocephalus. The diagnostic feature is the dark triangle on the labellum!








































This one is Diuris chryseopsis, the small snake orchid. Frances found it while we were searching, unsuccesfully, for a Twining fringe lily we had found earlier in the day.










Another Diuris, in this case D. sulphurea or the Donkey orchid: note the resemblance to asses ears! We found this one growing near one of our patches of Kunzea parvifolia. As they are the commonest orchid in many parts of Canberra it is surprising we have only had this one!











Here we have the third Diuris species. This is D. semilunulata and appears to be restricted to the Queanbeyan area where it is quite common.
















These are the flowers that got the title of the post to include "other pretty flowers". Also found in the unsuccesful search they are Viola betonicifolia the mountain violet.
















This lurid example is Kunzea parvifolia. I'm not sure if it is the common Kunzea all over our propertybut if it is, and it all flowers, the place will be spectacular indeed. This has not happened, but we do have several patches of it, which is quite unusual in this area.























Here we have Xerochrysum viscosa - I think that is the current name, which seems to have changed more frquently than the weather. Note the serendipitous ant!

























Maintaining the theme of "yellow" this is the Yam Daisy aka Microseris lanceolata.


































Helichrysum scorpiodes (I think). It seems that the genus does not actually exist in Australia but no-one has a better scientific name for this species (yet).

















The two images below are of the male (left) and female (right) flowers of the early nancy (Wurmbea dioica). The difference in the reproductive organs is rather clear - I hope that doesn't block this blog from any family oriented apparati!

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