At the end of my graveyard walk, I amble along the flat on the outskirts of Nerrigundah, mildly disappointed. After all, I've heard a number of stories of old cemeteries hosting colonies of rare orchids. Not this morning. Not as far as I could see. Not without leaving the grassland and poking about, without a stick, in what might well be the territory of snakes.
My eyes have become accustomed to scanning the road edge. Sometimes I even think I've developed some sort of expertise. And there it is. An orchid, or something that looks enough like an orchid to draw me over for a closer look.
My eye has not let me down. There it is, Gastrodia sesamoides, last sighted in the sandy soil at Huskisson on Jervis Bay, holidaying with my sister-in-law. Aboriginal people used the tubers for food and found them by following the scratchings of bandicoots, hence the common name potato orchid. The flowers have a perfume I missed by focusing too much on photography, hence another common name, cinnamon bells. This is one of the orchids that self-pollinate and thrive when there have been summer fires. It is “widespread and common”, as are most of the orchids I see, but that doesn't diminish my pleasure in spotting it.
However there is a down side. I may begin to think every walking episode should end with orchids!
My source for information about orchids is Native orchids of Australia, including the island territories by David Jones (2006)
Madhu said:
Such elegant beauties Meg! Not at all the showy blooms I am accustomed to here in the tropics.
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morselsandscraps said:
I saw a tropical orchid in a garden yesterday and it looked a bit excessive and coarse. However, I’m sure this would not be the case if I’d encountered it at home in the jungle. All our local native ones seem to be about the size of a fingernail, if that.
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pommepal said:
That is a little beauty I have never heard of. Your close-up photos are superb Meg, so petite and dainty.
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morselsandscraps said:
Do you see many native orchids in your ramblings? And thank you for a big compliment! Which I shall pass on to my wonderful 3mp camera!
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pommepal said:
In 2010 when we were in WA at the peak of wild flower season we found quite a few, but I don’t seem to find them over here. Possibly up in Tambourine area there may be some, but possibly out of season now. What sort of camera do you have? Is it a DSLR?
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morselsandscraps said:
I’ve had my camera – the one that I use for flowers – for at least 8 years. It’s a digital Konica Minolta DiMage Z10, 3.2 megapixels, but a top-notch German lens, and a very pleasing colour brain. It runs rings round my much newer 20.2 megapixel Sony Cybershot for close -ups. I suspect there may be a native orchid for most seasons. I’ll have my eyes open at Tamborine!
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restlessjo said:
A lovely, quiet little orchid, but so beautiful.
Happy days, Meg 🙂
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morselsandscraps said:
It drew attention to itself for me walking, but when I tried to find it to share with Jude I couldn’t see it.
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Lucid Gypsy said:
Now I’ve never seen an orchid that colour, what a delight 🙂
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morselsandscraps said:
What are native orchids like in your neck of the woods? Do you ever see them cultivated only by nature?
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Rosemary Barnard said:
I’m really thrilled for you, and so wish I had been there to share. But thank you for the photos and text.
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morselsandscraps said:
I would like to have shared too. It almost seems as if I was keeping orchids from you. So many sightings since you were here.
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Rosemary Barnard said:
Ah well, that’s the way it goes, all a matter of timing as well as knowing where to find the lovelies. We had a very narrow window of opportunity, past the early spring or late winter florescence, but before the current one you are enjoying so much. I’m thinking of next year, Western Australia if it works out, where orchids will definitely be in flower and just waiting for me and my camera. Next year I might also make another visit to the local botanical gardens, a bit earlier this time.
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Heyjude said:
Stunning – cinnamon and cream!
Texan Wildflowers: http://portraitsofwildflowers.wordpress.com/
check out his techniques too
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morselsandscraps said:
Thanks for the links Jude – and thanks even more for your wonderful company.
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Heyjude said:
Likewise Meg. I had a wonderful time and you were the perfect host. I only hope I can reciprocate some time in the future. 😀
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Suzanne said:
What a great sighting. The photos and your words are most interesting.
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