Caladenia leptochila aka Arachnorchis leptochila – The Narrow-lipped Spider-orchid

Caladenia (Arachnorchis) leptochila aka Narrow-lipped Spider-orchid, Delicate-lipped Caladenia

Caladenia (Arachnorchis) leptochila aka Narrow-lipped Spider-orchid, Delicate-lipped Caladenia

Caladenia (Arachnorchis) leptochila aka Narrow-lipped Spider-orchid, Delicate-lipped Caladenia

Caladenia (Arachnorchis) leptochila aka Narrow-lipped Spider-orchid, Delicate-lipped Caladenia

Caladenia (Arachnorchis) leptochila aka Narrow-lipped Spider-orchid, Delicate-lipped Caladenia
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Angiospermae
Class: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Subtribe: Caladeniinae
Morialta Conservation Park – September 2013 – mild, wet conditions on Central Track

Photos & Text: Michal Dutkiewicz

There is a lot of confusion with plant taxonomy at the moment, and this is one of the victims – Some call it Caladenia leptochila, and others use the name Arachnorchis leptochila ssp leptochila. It often grows nearby to other species such as Caladenia tentaculata, but it is much more slender and the scented tentacled petals, or segments,  curve more vertically upwards. It has a hairy stem and is 15-45cm high.
Its flowers can be seen usually on solitary spikes in Spring, from September to November in the Mount Lofty Ranges. According to NOSSA, it prefers “leached, stony soils”. I first encountered it in close proximity to Caladenia tentaculata and at first thought it must be an emerging flower of that species, but after walking around the gravelly, gentle slope, I saw there were clearly two species – I was so stunned by these two species and the others I saw that day! One of the greatest days of my life and my brother and I still refer to that day as Orchid Day! See my other posts on Spider-orchid species here:

Caladenia tentaculata – A Sophisticated Mimic

Veined Caladenia

Little Desert Spider Orchid

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caladenia

http://bie.ala.org.au/species/Narrow-lip+Spider+Orchid
http://bie.ala.org.au/species/Arachnorchis+leptochila
http://www.johnwamsley.com/november28.html

http://nossa.org.au/tag/arachnorchis-leptochila/

The Nodding Chocolate Lily – Arthropodium fimbriatum

Arthropodium fimbriatum aka Dichopogon fimbriatus, Nodding Chocolate Lily

Arthropodium fimbriatum aka Dichopogon fimbriatus, Nodding Chocolate Lily

Arthropodium fimbriatum aka Dichopogon fimbriatus, Nodding Chocolate Lily

Arthropodium fimbriatum aka Dichopogon fimbriatus, Nodding Chocolate Lily

Arthropodium fimbriatum aka Dichopogon fimbriatus, Nodding Chocolate Lily

Arthropodium fimbriatum aka Dichopogon fimbriatus, Nodding Chocolate Lily

Arthropodium fimbriatum aka Dichopogon fimbriatus, Nodding Chocolate Lily
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Angiosperms
Class: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Asparagaceae
Subfamily: Lomandroideae
Morialta Conservation Park, South Australia (Central Track, near Moores Rd entrance) – January 10th, 2015 – cool, wet conditions after 2 days of rain

Photos & Text: Michal Dutkiewicz

I haven’t seen an Arthropodium with this colour or quite this shape before – I really don’t know why this looks like this. I have noticed the way the flowers connect to the stems is a little different, thinner and more feeble than Arthropodium strictum, and also the arrangement along the stem, and possibly small differences in the sex parts, plus the edges of the petals almost look serrated, whereas A. strictum looks more fluted and undulating – The colours on the stamens are different in my specimens, but many specimens are more purple on the anther part of the stamens and the greenish filament part which connects to the flower is cream yellow on mine – This is not, therefore, a universal example of the appearance of this flower and I have insufficient knowledge to know why these I have photographed differ. See also my entry on Arthropodium strictum aka Dichopogon strictus.

The Chocolate Lily – Arthropodium strictum

http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Dichopogon~fimbriatus
http://bie.ala.org.au/species/urn:lsid:biodiversity.org.au:apni.taxon:302905

A Paler Waxlip

Glossodia major aka Purple Cockatoo Orchid, Waxlip Orchid

Glossodia major aka Purple Cockatoo Orchid, Waxlip Orchid

Glossodia major aka Purple Cockatoo Orchid, Waxlip Orchid
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Angiospermae
Class: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Subtribe: Caladeniinae
Top:
Scott Creek Conservation Park – October, 2013 – sunny, windy conditions
Bottom:
Morialta Conservation Park – September, 2013 – wet conditions

Photos: Michal Dutkiewicz

The Purple Cockatoo Orchid, Glossodia major, also known as the Waxlip, also occurs in this pale form – I don’t think this is a true albino, but there is another form which seems to be almost pure white, but I have only seen those in photos. It makes a striking change to see these in the Bush.

Tussock Moth Caterpillar – Acyphas semiochrea

Acyphas semiochrea aka Tussock Moth (Caterpillar on Acacia pycnantha leaf)

Acyphas semiochrea aka Tussock Moth (Caterpillar on Acacia pycnantha leaf)

Acyphas semiochrea
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lymantriidae
Morialta Conservation Park – October, 2013 – mild conditions on Acacia pycnantha leaf

Photos & Text: Michal Dutkiewicz

I suspect this caterpillar was ready to make a coccoon – I had never seen this species before, and I thought it was quite spectacular. Do not touch the hairs, they can be very painful! –  I have seen others since and they have always been much smaller – It is a pest on many species of trees and schrubs. – The moths are a rather plain, white.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acyphas_semiochrea

Dew Lenses On A Banksia Marginata

Banksia marginata aka Silver Banksia
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Angiospermae
Class: Eudicots
Order: Proteales
Family: Proteaceae
Morialta Conservation Park, South Australia – May 10th, 2014 – foggy, damp conditions

Photos: Michal Dutkiewicz

Last Winter, Aldo Trissi, Ben Loveday, Adam Dutkiewicz and I headed up to Moores Road and entered Morialta on the Yurebilla Trail – It was foggy, but conditions were about to clear, so we pushed to get some fog shots just before it lifted – I took some of these shots with flash, and one with natural light – The result was captivating!

Discinella terrestris – Forest Tiddly Winks

Discinella terrestris aka Helotium terrestre, Dasyscyphus terrestris
Kingdom: Fungi
Phylum: Ascomycota
Class: Ascomycetes
Order: Helotiales
Family: Helotiaceae
Morialta Conservation Park, South Australia – May 10th, 2014 – wet, soggy, overcast conditions in soil amongst sclerophyll on forest floor

Photos & Text: Michal Dutkiewicz

Discinella is a small genus of Ascomycete fungi, Their fruiting bodies are bright yellow to yellowish-orange coloured discs up to 10 mm in diameter that grow in the dirt amongst the sclerophyll litter on the Eucalypt forest floor. It is found Australia-wide in such forests. I have only seen these in Winter, and in wet conditions – They are not to be confused with the yellow discs of Bisporella citrina, which grow on wood.

Learn more about Ascomycota here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascomycota

Xerula australis – A Mushroom Chameleon

Xerula australis aka Oudemansiella radicata var. australis, Rooting Shank (?)
Kingdom: Fungi
Phylum: Basidiomycota
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Agaricales
Family: Physalacriaceae
Morialta Conservation Park, South Australia, North East Sector – Central Track near Moores Road Entrance – 2014-07-26 – very wet, cool conditions with heavy showers

Photos: Michal Dutkiewicz

Growing in what appears to be muck and rotting wood – Surrounded by smaller mushrooms and sheltered by heavily rotted wood – 10cm high – cap was about 2.5 cm wide. This appears to be an extremely variable species – The blue edge was very striking and apparently not always present in other specimens

Flower-feeding March Fly

Scaptia auriflua aka Flower-feeding March Fly, Tabanus auriflua
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Tabanidae
Morialta Conservation Park, South Australia – December 11th, 2013 – warm conditions

Photo: Aldo Trissi

Although March Flies have an intimidating reputation for feasting on blood, this pretty, colourful species is harmless, and feeds exclusively on plants by drinking nectar from flowers. The eye colour changes depending on the light, but a green tendency may be present and the rich golden-orange hairy fringes make it distinctive, however, the rich colour has been faded in some photos I have seen on the net. The species seems to have quite a wide range in Australia.

Wikipedia has this to say: “Adults are about 10 millimetres (0.4 in) in length and mimic bees with dense hair and a golden coloration. Their eyes meet in the middle and the eye coloration differs from light source to light source.”

The Laughing Kookaburra

Dacelo novaeguineae aka Laughing Kookaburra
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Coraciiformes
Family: Halcyonidae
Morialta Conservation Park, South Australia – April 21st, 2014 – in Eucalypt, sunny conditions

In contrast to the mellifluous piping or delightful trilling or tuneful carolling of the songbirds, the jovial ascending staccatto chortle of the Laughing Kookaburra is one of the most distinctive bird calls in the World. The sound, used in countless films over the years has helped to elevate this modest-hued tree-dwelling Kingfisher to international celebrity status and it is a true icon of Australia, alongside the Koala, the Kangaroo, the Platypus and the Emu.

The Champion Caroller!

Cracticus tibicen aka Australian Magpie
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Artamidae
Morialta Conservation Park, South Australia – April 21st, 2014 – in Eucalypt, sunny conditions

To my ear, Australian Magpies have one of the best singing voices of the birds I am familiar with – I always delight in hearing their complex, highly individualistic, very musical carolling.