Nigromontana without ...

... Diuris, but a good crop of other orchids.

We spent the afternoon of 28 April with our friends Tony and Jean scouring the SW quadrant of Black (nigro) Mountain (montana) for orchids.  It not being Spring we, not surprisingly, didn't find the species of Diuris named after this area.  The first orchids we found in flower were Diplodium reflexum.


Some D. truncatum were found but had 'gone over' so were not that attractive as a snap.  Moving on, some Bunochilus umbrinus were located, but being perverse they were only at the bud stage and this seemed to send my camera into a tizz.  Again no snap.

The next goodies were Corysanthes hispida.  Many were found, but they were, by and large heading for home and a well earned (permanent) rest.  This one was kind enough to strut its stuff.
We then moved over to a rocky area where some Acianthus exertus were relocated by Jean and Tony.  I got a few images - regretting afterwards that Frances didn't get a picture of me coiled round a rock (this would have shown Denis that I also get down and dirty when required)!  However here is the whole plant and a closer shot of the flowers.

While orchids were the main business at hand (and I haven't listed the many rosettes, buds and seed-heads we noted in passing) other elements of the environment were interesting.  I always like Coronidium scorpiodes ..
and this arrangement of seed-heads was attractive
A little further off the ground this Golden Orb Spider showed its spinneret (the lump on top of its abdomen) rather well.

Comments

Denis Wilson said…
Nice Orchids and spider too. Love the
Corysanthes. Interesting that they are in flower on Black Mountain, and some related plants just starting here, but on the Coast, a Nowra, they are nowhere near ready to flower.
Beautiful Fibonacci Spirals in your Coronidium scorpiodes.
Sorry not to see you getting "down and dirty", but i recognise a close-up shot when I see one. I know you got down there.
Cheers
Denis
1 May 2011 at 00:42:00 GMT+10
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