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Sunday 26 October 2014

Red Beaks

This orchid is called a Red Beak - and it has a very close association with that most Australian of elements, fire.

This is a plant that only flowers in areas that have been recently burnt - I have only seen them twice - but on both occasions they were common.  A strange combination of rarity and abundance




You can see the the ground around the first plant is burnt - by the time I had taken a few pictures I was less than clean!

You can find more macro shots at Macro Monday2 and I Heart Macro.

25 comments:

  1. Beautiful flowers, Stewart, kind of a windswept feeling to them. The colors are really pretty and I like the coiled stigma (?) under the standard. There seems to be a lot of flowers that come up after fires.

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  2. Gorgeous! The plant, at least. You probably were a mess. :-)

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  3. What a beauty. Even looks like flames.

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  4. It's a very pretty flower with a great story!

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  5. Very interesting looking orchids, I know the feeling of getting down and dirty or what ever it takes to get the shot. Have a good week.

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  6. Unusual looking and how fascinating that they choose only to grow in areas that have been recently burned!

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  7. I have never seen a flower like that. How beautiful.

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  8. Fascinating indeed and a lovely flower that I've never seen either!! Terrific captures, Stewart!! Thanks for sharing! Hope your have a great new week!

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  9. it is indeed very beautiful and these are great shots Stewart.

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  10. Worth getting dirty for those photos.

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  11. What a pretty flower! You got some good shots of it.

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  12. It is a beautiful orchid! It is interesting that it grows in areas that have been burnt. Great find! Have a happy week ahead!

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  13. How very beautiful. A good reason to remember that fire is sometimes beneficial and natural. (The Native Americans knew this, One plant here in the US Pacific Northwest that flourishes after fire is the huckleberry., which was a big part of their diet)

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  14. Wonderful shot from the orchids, Stewart!
    Hugs
    Rivien

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  15. Thanks so much Stewart for your info on the opossum! These orchids are gorgeous! How odd they show up where there's been a control burn or a fire!

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  16. Forgot to say, yes, the wigwam motel was definitely the inspiration for the cone motel in Cars! I understand there's at least one other wigwam motel in the west...not sure if it is also on Rt 66.

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  17. Gorgeous and very interesting.

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  18. The orchids have their own way...
    A stunning specie!

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  19. Very interesting! Nature is so cool that way.

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  20. What a stunning little orchid Stewart….it is amazing how destruction makes way for new growth.

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  21. Photography is the simplest thing in the world, but it is incredibly complicated to make it really work.
    Thank you for your post.

    clipping path

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  22. The Nature is Art, The Photographer is only a Witness.
    Thank you for the post.
    clipping path

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