Cyanicula caerulea at last!!

A week or so back when I expressed some anguish about not finding any Cyanicula caerulea yet, my friend Denis did that which I should have done and checked the date on my blog post last year.  I posted about them on September 15th 2010 so my angst was well previous!

I have kept checking the site and today took the Orchid Terrier back to the scene of the crime.  YA, and also HOOOO.  There were at least 20 of the little gems in exactly the same place as last year!

A basic view:
 This shows a little more detail down the "throat": the row of 'landing lights' stands out nicely.
 This gives a bit of any idea of the habitat.  in essence growing in dry rocky ground under Kunzea ericoides.
 This shot was taken with the aid of some exposure bracketing and has I think got closer to actual delightful colour of the flowers.
Perhaps they are a few days earlier than last year, or perhaps I was a few days later looking here last year?  I am sure there were none here 2 days ago.

An expert friend from Canberra reports that they were flowering there 2 weeks ago.  This would seem to fit the usual parameter of the season being delayed by one week for each 100m in elevation gain.

To emphasise the importance of  timing we revisited this area on 16 September: ie 6 days later - and found, with difficulty, just two flowers. 


Comments

Denis Wilson said…
Hi Martin.
Nothing to be Blue about in that post.
It's always a nice feeling to find your old friends.
Like the "bracketed" image.
The colour of these plants is very difficult to capture properly.
Cheers
Denis
10 September 2011 at 20:11:00 GMT+10
Flabmeister said…
It has properly motivated me to keep searching for the other earlier species. Although they are mainly small greenhoods they will be equally welcome.

Martin
11 September 2011 at 17:44:00 GMT+10
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