Cattleya Deconstructed.
Form follows function in architecture, however, aesthetics catch the eye. The lower petal evolved over millions of years to provide a hi-viz bee landing pad.
Exquisite design but its all show for the bees.
Cattleya Cool
Male and female Cattleya parts are housed in a beautifully streamlined structure typical of orchids, the tower.
I have my eyes on you, lots of them. The cicada’s eye view.
Distinctive clicking sounds alerted me before I saw this wee critter. Further down the street, towards the trees, sounds from the massed cicada gathering were deafening.
Cactii recovery operation.
Five months ago I repotted a number of plants that had languished for a year in the tiny pots I found them in. Most exploded into life but one fared less well.
This is a happy tale of Cactii who survive the rigours of life on my deck in Kumeū.
Dendrobium Enobi Purple and its labellum with a distinctive mullet.
Most Dendrobium orchids are epiphytes; there are more than 1000 species. A key identifying feature is often the labellum. A mullet Mohawk gracing the Labellum’s middle lobe caught my eye.
Mullets lure and guide insects to the plant. They direct them toward pollinia, looming overhead on top of the tower.
Begonia Masoniana revived.
This plant made a full recovery after sucking up a glass of water..
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.
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.