Seasonal Coffee

Common Onion Orchid

There is an extensive orchid flora of about 120 species in New Zealand seven are epiphytic with the rest terrestrial. Many are still unnamed.

'A score or more species of onion orchids range from southeast Asia to New Zealand, which probably has half a dozen taxa, 3 of which have been described.' Microtis unifolia agg., is the official name of this common onion orchid. Agg means aggregate and implies that taxonomically speaking the genus is a mess, it has so many species that are so closely related that it's really hard to sort out one from another; so that it's much simpler to call them all by the same name but also acknowledge the fact that you're talking about more than one or two species. Hence agg., an aggregate of species. [Blackberries incidentally, are similarly named Rubus fruticosus agg.] The unifolia epithet is more easily understood - one leaf - here clearly seen; and it's this leaf which gives the plant its vernacular name as it's just like a fleshy onion-leaf.

As they are not like the showy orchids that people are familiar with in florist shops, they are often overlooked in the garden. But 'what really is special about the New Zealand orchids is the ability of the majority of them to self-pollinate.' About 60per cent are self-pollinating 'a consequnece, at least to some extent, of the relative scarcity of insects in New Zealand. Another feature ... is their ability to adapt to new habitats under exotic trees.' Clearly both these factors account for the occurence of this oninon orchid growing happily here in our front garden under a rhododendron bush.

This orchid is definitely a plus for untidy gardening!

Quotations from: The Nature Guide to New Zealand Native Orchids by Ian St George, published by Godwit, 1999.

Cabbage Trees

The weather has been up and down like the proverbial yo-yo. Monday, it was a mere 10degrees, Tuesday was similar as was yesterday. Brrrr! Most unseasonal.

Today however, it has felt more like summer. A maximum of 22degrees and even some sunshine. Enough at least to set the pollinating flies and bees buzzing around these cabbage tree flowers.

Cabbage trees (Cordyline australis) are common in the landscape. They can often be found by streamsides and in farmland, preferring open sunny situations. They are frequently culitvated in gardens. Their leaves, however, do not rot down in the regular compost heap - I have a heap of branches and cabbage leaves in an unseen corner of the garden which remain undisturbed, to rot, eventually (I'm talking years here). But if I can be bothered I sometimes get a bundle of three or four fold them and tie them up with another leaf to provide good firelighters in the winter. A friend of mine uses the leaves to tie up his rubbish bags for the council to collect, but I think he has more leaves than he can use in this way.

They are the so-called 'palm' trees found growing in Torquay (UK). Once mature they are frost hardy,they have to be to grow this far south, even though Dunedin frosts are not as severe or last as long as UK ones.

Sheep and Goats

On her left Barbary sheep looked down on her from a high concrete cliff ledge. To her right was a huge park meadow. Dogs and their owners used this grassy place, the dogs running joyously wild, leash-trained city dogs enjoying their moment of release. She walked on slowly, aware that the rest of the afternoon was hers. She had been set free in this park, granted this time alone.

As she continued on down the path, she passed the elephant house. Standing on a concrete ramp, swaying, was an old lizard-coloured elephant, its trunk reaching into the air as though to pluck out invisible buns. The elephant turned in her direction, looking at her across the moat. Its ears came up like kites, then fell slap against its gray lizard cheeks. Ponderously lifting and shifting its prehistoric legs, it moved with a prisoner’s aimless deliberation back into the elephant house.

Quotation from: The Temptation of Eileen Hughes by Brian Moore.

Tree Lupins

A large colony of feral tree lupins Lupinus arboreus grow just beside the foot-path beside the beach at St CLair.

They are very fine, and their scent is heady and almost overpowering.

The air is a-buzz with bumble bees clearly attracted by the perfume. They are busy gathering nectar from the bottom of the floret. Here you can see the bee's short tongue.

And here you can see the orange pollen collected on the legs of the bee, in 'pollen baskets' as it coincidentally pollinates the lupins.