Life Wonderings of a Nature Lover: 2016 September – 2017 March, Summer Orchids

This summer I have seen a wide variety and number of Orchids in flower, possibly the most I have recorded in one season. As always happens, there were a few that were not possible to photograph, so they have not been included.

I am not quite sure why they fascinate and attract me, it seems as if I am drawn to noticing them. Perhaps it is the wide variety of forms and beautiful colouration, but I suspect too, that I have a respect for these seemingly fragile and delicate flowers that often grow in unlikely and harsh environments.

Many of the 34 different species below were seen at our home, Sitamani, Impendle, KwaZulu-Natal, at ±1500m altitude. Then as I spend much time in the Maloti-Drakensberg World Heritage Site, situated mainly in KwaZulu-Natal, most of the balance was seen there. However I was fortunate to do a Wildcoast hike from Misikaba to Port St Johns on the Eastern Cape coast in early January, so added a few more! The most common genus was Disa (9), followed by Eulophia (7).

These stunning orchids are arranged as I saw them. There are duplicates where more than a week passed before seeing them again, or if I saw them in a completely different area and also if there were colour variations of the same species.

2016 09 24 Eulophia hians var. hians, Sitamani, Impendle, KwaZulu-Natal

2016 09 24 Eulophia hians var. hians, Sitamani, Impendle, KwaZulu-Natal

2016 09 24 Eulophia hians var. hians with pollinaria on insect, Sitamani, Impendle, KwaZulu-Natal

2016 09 29 Eulophia hians var. inaequalis, Sitamani Impendle, KwaZulu-Natal

2016 09 29 Eulophia hians var. inaequalis, Sitamani, Impendle, KwaZulu-Natal

2016 11 04-10 Disa baurii, Cobham & Bushman’s Nek, Maloti-Drakensberg World Heritage Site, KwaZulu-Natal

2016 11 05 Disa Stricta, Cobham, Maloti-Drakensberg World Heritage Site, KwaZulu-Natal

2016 11 04-10 Holothrix scopularia, Garden Castle, Cobham & Bushman’s Nek, Maloti-Drakensberg World Heritage Site, KwaZulu-Natal

2016 11 04-10 Holothrix scopularia, Garden Castle, Cobham & Bushman’s Nek, Maloti-Drakensberg World Heritage Site, KwaZulu-Natal

2016 11 04-05 Orthochilus aculeatus sub.sp. aculeatus, Garden Castle & Cobham, Maloti-Drakensberg World Heritage Site, KwaZulu-Natal

2016 11 10 Orthochilus aculeatus sub.sp. aculeatus, Bushman’s Nek, Maloti-Drakensberg World Heritage Site, KwaZulu-Natal

2016 11 10 Orthochilus aculeatus sub.sp. aculeatus, Bushman’s Nek, Maloti-Drakensberg World Heritage Site, KwaZulu-Natal

2016 12 07 Disa stachyoides, Garden Castle, Maloti-Drakensberg World Heritage Site, KwaZulu-Natal

2016 12 07 Orthochilus foliosus, Garden Castle, Maloti-Drakensberg World Heritage Site, KwaZulu-Natal

2016 12 08 Disa stricta, Garden Castle, Maloti-Drakensberg World Heritage Site, KwaZulu-Natal

2016 12 22 Disa oreophila sub.sp. oreophila, Bushman’s Nek, Maloti-Drakensberg World Heritage Site, KwaZulu-Natal

2016 12 22 Disa stachyoides, Bushman’s Nek, Maloti-Drakensberg World Heritage Site, KwaZulu-Natal

2016 12 22 Disa stricta, Bushman’s Nek, Maloti-Drakensberg World Heritage Site, KwaZulu-Natal

2016 12 22 Eulophia hians var. nutans, Bushman’s Nek, Maloti-Drakensberg World Heritage Site, KwaZulu-Natal

2016 12 22 Orthochilus foliosus, Bushman’s Nek, Maloti-Drakensberg World Heritage Site, KwaZulu-Natal

2016 12 23 Holothrix scopulria, Bushman’s Nek, Maloti-Drakensberg World Heritage Site, KwaZulu-Natal

2016 12 31 Eulophia hians var. nutans, Sitamani, Impendle, KwaZulu-Natal

2016 12 31 Eulophia ovalis var. bainesii, Sitamani, Impendle, KwaZulu-Natal

2016 12 31 Eulophia zeyheriana, Sitamani, Impendle, KwaZulu-Natal

2016 12 31 Satyrium longicauda, Sitamani, Impendle, KwaZulu-Natal

2017 01 09 Disa polygonoides, Misikaba to Rhole, Wildcoast, Eastern Cape

2017 01 09 Habenaria dives, Misikaba to Rhole, Wildcoast, Eastern Cape

2017 01 10 Habenaria dregeana, Rhole to Khuthwini, Wildcoast, Eastern Cape

2017 01 10 Orthochilus enstatus, (white form), Rhole-Khuthwini, Wildcoast, Eastern Cape

2017 01 10 Satyrium sphaerocarpum, Rhole-Khuthwini, Wildcoast, Eastern Cape

2017 01 10 Satyrium trinerve, Rhole-Khuthwini, Wildcoast, Eastern Cape

2017 01 15 Corycium nigrescens, Sani Pass, Cobham, Maloti-Drakensberg World Heritage Site, KwaZulu-Natal

2017 01 19 Eulophia ovalis var. ovalis, Sitamani, Impendle, KwaZulu-Natal

2017 01 22 Eulophia hians var. nutans, Sitamani, Impendle, KwaZulu-Natal

2017 01 22 Eulophia ovalis var. ovalis,  Sitamani, Impendle, KwaZulu-Natal

2017 01 22 Eulophia tenella, Sitamani, Impendle, KwaZulu-Natal

2017 01 22 Eulophia zeheriana, Sitamani, Impendle, KwaZulu-Natal

2017 01 22 Eulophia zeheriana, Sitamani, Impendle, KwaZulu-Natal

2017 01 22 Habenaria pseudociliosa, Sitamani, Impendle, KwaZulu-Natal

2017 01 22 Satyrium cristatum var. longiabiatum, Sitamani, Impendle, KwaZulu-Natal

2017 01 22 Satyrium cristatum var. longiabiatum, Sitamani, Impendle, KwaZulu-Natal

2017 01 22 Satyrium longicauda, Sitamani, Impendle, KwaZulu-Natal

2017 02 04 Disa nivea, Sehlabathebe, Maloti-Drakensberg World Heritage Site, Lesotho

2017 02 05 Disa versicolor, Sehlabathebe, Maloti-Drakensberg World Heritage Site, Lesotho

2017 02 05 Disperis tysonii, Sehlabathebe, Maloti-Drakensberg World Heritage Site, Lesotho

2017 02 05 Disperis wealei, Sehlabathebe, Maloti-Drakensberg World Heritage Site, Lesotho

2017 02 05 Pterygodium cooperi, Sehlabathebe, Maloti-Drakensberg World Heritage Site, Lesotho

2017 02 05 Satyrium longicauda, Sehlabathebe, Maloti-Drakensberg World Heritage Site, Lesotho

2017 02 05 Schizochilus flexuosus, Sehlabathebe, Maloti-Drakensberg World Heritage Site, Lesotho

2017 02 13 Disperis oxyglossa, Witsieshoek, Free State

2017 02 14 Satyrium longicauda, Witsieshoek, Free State

2017 02 24 Disa patula var. patula, Sitamani, Impendle, KwaZulu-Natal

2017 02 24 Disa patula var. patula, Sitamani, Impendle, KwaZulu-Natal

2017 02 24 Habenaria pseudociliosa, Sitamani, Impendle, KwaZulu-Natal

2017 02 24 Habenaria pseudociliosa, Sitamani, Impendle, KwaZulu-Natal

2017 03 01 Disperis fanniniae, Cavern, Northern Drakensberg, KwaZulu-Natal

2017 03 01 Disa brevicornis, Witsieshoek, Free State