Fuchsia plants and the flowering frog.
I first became acquainted with fuchsia flowers more than 40 years ago during my “pre camera” days.
A dream chemist’s career in Research and Development with Glaxo Laboratories and Syntex Pharmaceuticals was history.
Accountancy, and a plan to become a super rich Jersey resident in the Channel Islands had become a nightmare.
Teaching Science at Jersey College for Girls in Saint Helier was a good opportunity for work and my family.
I looked at the the school website out of interest and was inspired by a student quote. “Chemistry is my favourite subject-its like art for a scientific mind full of drawings shapes and diagrams.” Brilliant.
Turns out my latest cactus is a succulent.
It’s taking longer to become a Botanist than I anticipated. Despite the telltale spines, Euphorbia Aeruginosa is a succulent.
Gymnocalycium Mihanovichii, I think.
My plant recognition app identified this cactus. The flower opened incompletely in the late afternoon sun. It wasn’t the first small Gymnocalycium plant that has failed to open fully for me.
After a quick read through articles by “cactus people” the phrase “incomplete opening” cropped up a few times.
Cactulents in Red
Cactii and succulents have become a passion of mine recently. They are utterly captivating as they adapt to harsh environments with style. Today I just wanted to have fun taking a few pics.
Lithops succulent, light studio box in a leaf.
I’m not a photographer but I take heaps of photos. I like pics that illustrate aspects of science.
Let the ferry sail and look around Hobsonville Point Instead.
Take time and wonder at mangroves, Pohutukawa and flax. My grandfather was impressed by flax plants unfortunately.
Gannets at Muriwai.
There were more people than gannets at Muriwai yesterday.
Pōhutukawa Season
I love the flowers on this tree. Nothing more to say on the first day of 2025. Happy New Year Everyone
Cotyledon flowers.
Cotyledon succulent, a jaded dusty plant with loads of charm and interesting chemistry.
There is more than one wreck on Patea Beach.
The steamer SS Waitangi launched at Grangemouth, England in 1898. It struck Western Breakwater and foundered sailing into the Patea River mouth on 5 May 1923.
Pleiospilos, a plant that looks like a rock, perfect!
I thought i had just bought the perfect cactus, one that doesn’t stab you and looks like a rock. Its not a cactus, its a succulent apparently.
Random Cactii I found in the Plant Barn. Broxi’s choice.
Started out as a chemist and ended up teaching. Photography is cool tool for observing at leisure.
Epidendrum Pacific Rose Part 2: The Pollinator’s Story.
It can end in tears when small pollinators land on some species of Epidendrum orchids.
Paphiopedilum Deconstructed.
The staminode, a repurposed sterile anther is a big feature inside the slipper orchid lip. Shaped like a giant flyswat, it collects incoming female hoverflies on its smooth surface before dropping them into the cup shaped lip where they buzz around before working out how to escape.
Epidendrum Pacific Rose Part 1
Epidendrum Pacific Rose is apparently a cross between Epi. Pacific vista and Epi. Orange Glow. It’s easy to see which side of the family lent it’s colour genes to the mix..
Te Henga Pillow lavas
The pillow lavas at Te Henga, part 1. Landside.
It began with a submarine landslide about 15 million years ago when a huge lahar cascaded down the slopes of an ancient volcano. The volcanic slurry of pebbles and boulders came to rest not far from the lifeguard station at the north end of the beach.
Begonia Masoniana.
I came accross this plant in the Plant Barn Henderson, and thought I’d have a closer look. The flowers should be interesting when they open.
The Great Slipper Orchid Scam.
Pollinating the slipper orchid is a tale of deceit and occasionally death for an unsuspecting pollinator.
Despite this plant’s allure, it’s a complete scam for winged visitors, clever advertising but no product. Paphiopedilum Inca Harvest rely on their appearance to attract pollinators and don’t waste time producing nectar or essential oils.
Pretty flower, mantis killing machine.
Giant swively-headed mantises have been around for a long time. Fossil traces were found in a disused iron mine in the Canadian sub-Arctic. Dated to around 100 million years ago in the Cretaceous it would have foraged insects from the early ancestors of slipper orchids I am interested in.
El Penon de Guatape
Not far from Guatape, Columbia stands this massive structure carved painstakingly from igneous intrusions dating from the late Cretacdeous 70 million years ago.