 Dragon orchid | Greetings fellow Foxies, I have just found a Dragon Orchid (Caladenia barbarossa)in Foxes Lair and must share its dreadful secret with you. In the image (left) can you see that the labellum (middle bit) looks like an insect on steroids? To some poor male wasp it looks like Miss Universe of its species, leading to a predictable attempt to mate. Alas the poor fellow just bumps against the flower’s sexual bits, satisfying the flower’s need but leaving him unsatisfied. To make matters worse the orchid may also emit female wasp pheromones. Dragon orchids are fairly common in sheoak woodland in early October. A good spot is the small sheoak patch at the Claypit |
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Greetings fellow Foxies, This week I present the particularly pulchritudinous Pimelia species or banjines. The only clue I could find for the name Banjine was in an English/Persian dictionary- Banjin=ecstasy, delight. You can see the small and lovely nodding yellow ‘Scented banjine’ (Pimelia sauveolans, have a sniff!) on the clay flat north-west of the Claypit. White Banjine (Pimelia ciliata) flowers in early October, particularly on the Banksia Walk.
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Doug Sawkins is a friend of Foxes Lair who once worked for the WA Department of Agriculture Categories
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