native orchids adirondacks

[cnycharles]

after checking out the tug hill area end of last july, I headed east chasing the thunderstorms towards the moose river plains wilderness area in the adirondack park. I again found malaxis unifolia, spiranthes lacera var. lacera, club spur and epipactis helleborine in flower. I didn't put on any bug spray and the mosquitos (protectors of the north) found me.

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spiranthes lacera var. lacera (northern slender ladies' tresses)

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right pic is a heads-down view of the flower spiral

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malaxis unifolia, a very tall plant maybe 6-7" tall or more growing high on a sandy, granite outcrop underneath an evergreen

epipactis helleborine (some giant ones can grow in this area)

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on the way back home along rt 28 in the ditch I found some very late blue lupines!

 

[SlipperFan]

I love the spiral staircase.

 

[Kevin]

Nice pictures. Thanks. That's a massive Malaxis! Nice to see a pic of the Epipactis too. It's just been found in Manitoba now, so it is slowly making it's way across the continent. Does anyone know how far south it has been found? Apparently there are different varieties - do you know which one this is?

 

[JeanLux]

thanks for those very interesting picts.!!! Jean

 

[NYEric]

Show us the mosquito bites! We revel in your pain! :evil:
oke:

 

[cnycharles]

Nice pictures. Thanks. That's a massive Malaxis! Nice to see a pic of the Epipactis too. It's just been found in Manitoba now, so it is slowly making it's way across the continent. Does anyone know how far south it has been found? Apparently there are different varieties - do you know which one this is?

yes, that's the tallest unifolia i've seen except for a dried specimen I saw in the ny state museum herbarium. actually there is a long thread going on in the native orchid conference email list (a yahoo list), and someone there might know how far south. I think this one is the more or less standard color a little greenish with strawberry in the center. i've seen also the mostly green and the bright yellowish colors

 

[cnycharles]

Show us the mosquito bites! We revel in your pain! :evil:
oke:

....... by the way, I have an extra equestris alba from al's orchid exchange... for you eric, i'll trade it for a yellow besseae!

 

[NYEric]

....... by the way, I have an extra equestris alba from al's orchid exchange... for you eric, i'll trade it for a yellow besseae!

Really? PM me about size and trade.

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

yes, that's the tallest unifolia i've seen except for a dried specimen I saw in the ny state museum herbarium. actually there is a long thread going on in the native orchid conference email list (a yahoo list), and someone there might know how far south. I think this one is the more or less standard color a little greenish with strawberry in the center. i've seen also the mostly green and the bright yellowish colors

Excellent series of posts you've been showing us lately. Thanks! Have you considered putting them into a blog format?

One of the most southernmost localities of M. unifolia is in north central Florida in Alachua County. The plants grow in and around a large sink hole called The Devil's Millhopper. Very likely the species can be seen in and around other sink holes and ravine forests of the panhandle of that state as well.

 

[cnycharles]

thanks, i've never thought about doing a blog. others have told me I should write the trips I take down; sometimes funny things that happen along the way can be entertaining to other people. I have a native orchid educational display I've made with lots of financial support from the syracuse orchid club and put it in the local orchid shows. that way a lot of other people can get the benefit of seeing all of the amazing plants that are usually hidden out there, and that most people would never see (especially the ones guarded literally by millions of angry, persistent mosquitos (and deerflies, and blackflies, and if you head for the coast - ticks) or just the mud. I would like to make an online- educational display but other things take up most of the time and sideline those plans

 

[biothanasis]

Cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!