Tag: Plants

Calling Orchid Enthusiasts: Help Please!

In an earlier post I reported that I had found one solitary Maroonhood Orchid.  Since then, I’ve discovered three small colonies.   However, I’m unsure if one of these colonies is the same species, or a sub-species.  Can anyone help me to correctly identify it from the photographs below?  I have spent quite a bit of time … Continue reading Calling Orchid Enthusiasts: Help Please!

Mayfly Orchid (Acianthus caudatus)

I’ve been watching a tiny patch of Mayfly Orchids grow for quite some time, checking on their progress every couple of days.  As they are growing on the edge of a track created by wildlife, I’ve had my fingers crossed that the orchids didn’t become breakfast for a creature before they flowered.  Fortunately, they seem to be … Continue reading Mayfly Orchid (Acianthus caudatus)

Tall Greenhood (Pterostylis longifolia)

I found this Tall Greenhood yesterday when I decided to veer off the walking path and investigate a track created by animals.  This track just led from the walking path to the boundary fence, and was the way on and off our property for wallabies and kangaroos.  Nearby was a healthy population of Maroonhoods, which … Continue reading Tall Greenhood (Pterostylis longifolia)

Climbing Sundew Flowers (Drosera macrantha)

I’ve posted a few photographs of the Climbing Sundew plant, including macro images of the amazing pod-like leaves, with their red, sticky hairs poised to capture insects.  This week, the flowers have emerged.  The swollen, hairy buds almost look like Poppy buds.  The flower itself looks similar to the Scented Sundew flower, with the surprising addition … Continue reading Climbing Sundew Flowers (Drosera macrantha)

Blunt Greenhood (Pterostylis curta)

We’ve had Blunt Greenhoods growing in reasonable numbers each year we’ve been living here, and I have photographed them each year.  For some reason, they haven’t yet featured in a post – until today! At the moment we have two small colonies of Blunt Greenhoods, with the prospect of finding more. They seem to be just … Continue reading Blunt Greenhood (Pterostylis curta)

Maroonhood (Pterostylis pedunculata)

It felt like a Spring day today, even though it is still Winter in Australia.  The sun was shining, the air was still, and all around me I could hear the calls of a myriad bird species.  Knowing I could probably have taken some good bird photographs if I had changed lenses, I stuck to … Continue reading Maroonhood (Pterostylis pedunculata)

Common Beard-heath (Leucopogon virgatus)

Last year, I tried to show the tiny flower of the Common Beard-heath, photographing it against a ruler, so it was possible to see just how small.  Unfortunately, the lens I had at the time was not powerful enough to show the intricate detail of the flower and buds.  I’m happy to report that the … Continue reading Common Beard-heath (Leucopogon virgatus)

Fully Open Helmet Orchids at last!

For those who are on the journey with me, here are some photographs of fully opened Helmet Orchids.  I’m not completely sure, but I think I may have photographed two different species of Helmet Orchid.  We certainly have the Slaty Helmet Orchid (Corybas incurvus) and looking at distinctions of colour, shape and curve,  I think we … Continue reading Fully Open Helmet Orchids at last!

Unfurling Helmet Orchid Flowers

As the Helmet Orchid buds swell, it is difficult to tell if they are flowering simply by looking at them.  The only way I can work this out  is to photograph them and look at the photos on the computer.  In the process,  I have captured the way the flowers open, which I’ve found utterly … Continue reading Unfurling Helmet Orchid Flowers

Pink-Bells (Tetratheca ciliata)

A relative of the Black-Eyed Susan, which  grows in New South Wales, the Pink-Bells flower is very beautiful.   Usually blooming in Spring, the couple of flowers I photographed were very early.  I wasn’t the only one who liked them.  When I went back today to check on their progress, I noticed they had been … Continue reading Pink-Bells (Tetratheca ciliata)

Slaty Helmet Orchid Bud (Corybas incurvus)?

I’ve placed a question mark in the title of this post because the bud is so small and it may prove to be something else.   However, from a little bit of research, I’m fairly confident that I’ve finally found a Helmet Orchid!  Looking at other photos on the Internet, I think I have enough information … Continue reading Slaty Helmet Orchid Bud (Corybas incurvus)?

Beginning to Emerge: Nodding Greenhoods

I can’t claim these are the first Nodding Greenhoods to appear this season – I saw others a few days ago which seem to have been eaten before I photographed them. I hope the Swamp Wallabies enjoyed the meal.   Nevertheless, it is fantastic to see the graceful flower heads rising up from the earth … Continue reading Beginning to Emerge: Nodding Greenhoods

Wood-sorrel: Exotic or Native?

I’ve discovered there are two species of yellow flowering Wood-Sorrel (Oxalis) which look very similar, and are often confused.  One is native to Australia, the other is an exotic (weed) originally from South Africa. Looking at the flowers of both species, I believe this could be the Australian native plant Grassland Wood-sorrel (Oxalis perennans).  Can anyone … Continue reading Wood-sorrel: Exotic or Native?

Cranberry Heath (Astroloma humifusum)

Although Cranberry Heath is already on the plant species list, I initially misidentified it, and the post is not as specific as it should be.  Here are two photographs taken in June of a small Cranberry Heath plant growing alongside the dam. The red flowers are tubular, with a star-shaped opening.  The Latin name reflects this … Continue reading Cranberry Heath (Astroloma humifusum)

First Scented Sundews of the season

I’ve been watching the buds on the tiny Scented Sundew plants grow over the last week or so, and today I’ve had the good fortune to see the first flowers of the season.  Consisting of five white petals and stamens tipped in a clear yellow, these flowers are the definition of simple beauty. The leaves … Continue reading First Scented Sundews of the season

First Guinea Flowers of the Season

The first Guinea Flowers of the season are beginning to open.   Looking at the leaves, as well as the flowers, as far as I can tell these are the Erect Guinea Flower (Hibbertia riparia).  However, according to my field guides, the Erect Guinea Flower begins flowering in  September.  So I will check a few other sources … Continue reading First Guinea Flowers of the Season

Pink Common Heath (Epacris impressa)

Here are the photographs of the pink Common Heath flowers I wrote about in yesterday’s post. So far, I have only found one plant with pink flowers, but we have quite a few Common Heath plants with white flowers.   It always seems to be a race to photograph these flowers before the Swamp Wallabies … Continue reading Pink Common Heath (Epacris impressa)

Common Heath (Epacris impressa)

Common Heath flower spikes have been putting on a good show over the last couple of weeks. We have white Common Heath flowers on our property, but there are both pink and red varietals too.   When left alone by the Swamp Wallabies, the plants have grown somewhere between 30 cm and 60 cm high here, … Continue reading Common Heath (Epacris impressa)

Common Bottle-daisy (Lagenophora stipitata)

While not plentiful, we had a few Bottle-daisy plants in flower last Spring.  The photos below were taken at the end of October and mid November. Although a native plant to this area, compared to the showy orchids,  lilies, bluebells, native pea plants and goodenia, the Bottle-daisy flowers looked quite ordinary to me.  They seemed quite … Continue reading Common Bottle-daisy (Lagenophora stipitata)

Tall Saw-sedge (Gahnia clarkei)

Below the dam wall grows a large patch of a wild, long, wind-blown, grass-like plant with large black-brown seed heads.  It’s intimidating in some ways – the perfect hide-out for snakes and other creatures I’d rather avoid.   I walk around it, and never through it.  Always, it grabs my attention because there is something … Continue reading Tall Saw-sedge (Gahnia clarkei)

Austral Bracken (Pteridium esculentum)

Bracken is  easy to overlook when compiling the A-Z Species Index because it is always there. Some people think of it as a weed, but it is a native Australian plant. I can appreciate the beauty of its fern-like form, and the various colour variation as it proceeds through the life-cycle.     It also provides great cover for … Continue reading Austral Bracken (Pteridium esculentum)