Travels around Victoria, Australia

[Whwoz]

Of course this area would not be complete without its Eastern Grey Kangaroos. These are the second largest of our 'roo species and to give you some idea of size, the data plaque cast into this tank is at my shoulder height, I stand around 5 foot 10 inches tall, making this 'roo around 5 feet tall

Daddy Kangaroo.JPG

Lawn mowers are not needed to any great extent within the township as they keep the grass down nicely for most of the year. This is the family of the male pictured above, doing good work on neighbours block

Hopping Lawnmowers.JPG

[Whwoz]

Kennedia prostrata or Running Postman is one of our native ground covering creepers. One of our multitude of native pea flowers

a Kennedia prostrata.JPG

Plants of this in Eastern Australia tend to be small, 3 foot spread max, those that occur in Western Australia are capable of 10 to 15 foot spreads.

[Whwoz]

A few that I have not worked out to species level yet

A pea sp..JPG

A Solanum sp..JPG

Carpobrotus sp..JPG

[Whwoz]

Loch Sport Orchids

This area is rich in our native terrestrial orchids. While I have not spent the time looking for them here recently that I have done in the past, I still know where to find them. Some, such as Caladenia catenata are here in their thousands, others only one here or there.

Caladenia catenata 2.JPG

Caladenia catenata.JPG

Typical C. catenata is white, but one often sees pink in flowers where they occur in large numbers, particularly if Caladenia fuscata occurs in the same area

Caladenia fuscata.JPG

Glossodia major or Waxlip orchid is one of those that occurs sporadically

Glossodia major.JPG

There are greenhoods in flower at the moment down here, but I will get to them another time

[Amateurinawe]

@Whwoz so tiny and delicate!

[Whwoz]

Loch Sport - More Orchids

The Green Comb Spider complex is a group of 6 or so orchids, genus Caladenia section Calonema. From memory both C. dilatata and C. tentaculata are here. The group is named because all have green combs down each side of their labellums.

Caladenia dilatata.JPG

Not 100% sure that I am looking at C. dilatata in the above photo, but as it was the first species described it is appropiate to refer to it as C. dilatata sensu lat (in the broad sense)

These are one group of our orchids that are pollinated by wasps. The enlarged tips on the petals is where the flower release the pheromones from that attract the wasps

[Whwoz]

Greenhood Orchids

A diverse group linked predominately by flower colour, which is green predominately. A number of section occur with the genus Pterostylis, with each reflecting different growth characteristics.

a Pterostylis collina with seed pod.JPG

Pterostylis collina normally flowers in late autumn and most were finished as evidenced by seed pod in lower right of photo. A number flowers in good condition are still about.

a Pterostylis nana complex.JPG

Pterostylis nana is another species that has been split up over time, with good reason. They are small flowers and can be difficult to find

a Pterostylis nutans.JPG

The Nodding greenhood, most of these were finished also, but there are a number of late flowerers about.

a Pterostylis pedunculata.JPG

Rusty greenhood

[Whwoz]

Rainbow Lorikeets are common around Loch Sport, a beautiful, if noisy little parrot

A Rainbow Lorikeet.JPG

[Whwoz]

The possums live in nests, referred to as Dreys and I believe I have spotted the one that the family live in. It is a messy nest of sticks in a group of tea tree plants

Brushtail Drey.JPG

[Whwoz]

A couple more plants that are in flower currently.
Ribbed Thryptomene or T. micrantha

a Ribbed Thryptomene.JPG

a Thryptomene micrantha.JPG

A yellow form of a plant that normally flowers red

Astroloma pinifolia yellow.JPG

And one of our lillies

Dianellea sp..JPG

And to finish off, a fern, Asplenium flabellifolium

a Necklace fern.JPG

There are more plants in flower, but 2 inches of rain in last 24 hours prevented me getting the camera out much today.

[MissS]

The lavender plant in post #23 is Carpobrotus Chilensis or commonly known here as Ice Plant. Many people here are starting to put this plant in our gardens as a ground cover.

[MissS]

All of these small little orchids are amazing.