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Photo blog: Drymoanthus adversus

28/10/2014

Drymoanthus adversus or the "green fleshy tree orchid" is much more exciting than either of its names suggest! This wonderful, delicate orchid is rather small, with leaves usually only numbering 2 or 3 that grow to around 6 centimetres in length. It is a close friend of flaky-barked host trees like tōtara and can often be found holding tight with fleshy white roots.

It is more common on the North rather than South Island where it is currently (October) in flower:

Flowering Drymoanthus adversus, October 2014. Photo: C. Kirby.

The light green flowers of Drymoanthus adversus have purple flecks. Photo: C. Kirby.

The green or greenish-white flowers of Drymoanthus adversus occur in bunches (inflorescences) that can be up to 8 cm long and usually sit just beneath the leaves. The flowers are only 4 mm it width and have purplish flecks. Sometimes you can find the stalks of old flower bunches still on the plants. Pollinated flowers develop into capsules that enclose many thousands of seeds with curled, woolly hairs. Everything about this species makes it hard to spot, especially if its host is also home to a lot of moss and lichen.

The position and colouring of Drymoanthus adversus flowers make them very easy to overlook. Photo: C. Kirby.

A very inconspicuous juvenile Drymoanthus adversus growing amongst moss on a host trunk. Photo: C. Kirby.

Individual Drymoanthus adversus plants can occasionally create large clumps with many leaves:

A large Drymoanthus adversus clump. Photo: C. Kirby.

The NZ Native Orchid Group have some great photos of this species on their website. Here are a few more of ours:

Drymoanthus adversus near the coast. Photo: C. Kirby.

Drymoanthus adversus with scale. Photo: C. Kirby.

Network of fleshy whitish Drymoanthus adversus roots. Photo: C. Kirby.

Feel free to share any of your own photos of this neat little plant, or maybe suggestions for a better name than "fleshy, green tree orchid"?!

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Its almost here! A Field Guide to New Zealand's Epiphytes, Vines and Mistletoes

22/10/2014

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The idea was born sometime around 2010 after a team of MSc students at the University of Waikato spent their summers studying epiphytes. These keen students realised that there was a need for a single information source on the epiphytes, vines and mistletoes of New Zealand after they got rather tired of lugging 5 different field guides around the forest. At the time, each book covered a few of the species they were coming across; one for the ferns, one for the orchids, a few for the vines etc.

The idea became a reality when the Environmental Research Institute (ERI) at the University of Waikato gave it the backing it needed. Three years on and with the help of 43 photographers and 10 reviewers, including Professors John Dawson and Gerhard Zotz, it is almost done!

The Field Guide to New Zealand's Epiphytes, Vines and Mistletoes by Catherine Kirby features 268 pages, 103 species and 320 superb photographs. It is being released at a special launch on the 11th of December 2014.

Preparing the field guide has been a fun and interesting journey. The species information was gathered from a wide range of sources including the NZ Flora series, NZPCN, Journal Articles and books. This information was then complimented by personal observations and expert contributions.

Each species description includes details on the key features of the plant, its habitat, flowering and fruiting times (where applicable), threats and identification clues.

Many people from around New Zealand and the world were extremely kind in donating their photos to the publication. The full colour, high quality images are essential for identification and make the book very user-friendly.

It is hoped that this field guide will be a catalyst and tool for more people to learn about our amazing epiphytes, vines and mistletoes. Please see the following flyer or the field guide page for a pre-release special offer (available 20th October to 10th November 2014) if you fancy your own copy:

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Polish mistletoes enjoying city life

13/10/2014

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Recent research by Maria Zachwatowicz and colleagues from Warsaw University in Poland has investigated urban populations of Viscum album mistletoes in the city of Warsaw.

Clumps of Viscum album mistletoe in urban trees. Photo: D. Meister.

The aims of this study were to:

analyse mistletoe host preferences in Warsaw
investigate the influence of environmental
conditions on mistletoe distribution

This study focussed on a 100 square kilometre area of the city where vegetation can be found in greenbelts along roadsides, green sites in built-up areas, waste sites and in cemeteries, parks and gardens. Just for interest: the average annual air temperature is 8.4 degrees C (brrrrr).

Cross section showing dark green roots of mistletoe (Viscum album) penetrating its host. Photo: Elon College.

The distribution and abundance of mistletoes on host trees was surveyed for three winters in a row. Analysis of this data showed that:

Exotic trees were the more common as mistletoes hosts that native species (68%)
Mistletoes were most common in old housing estates, the city transportation complex and green city sites (especially parks)
Mistletoe populations were closely related to the number and distribution of breeding and migratory birds

A waxwing with one of its favourite foods: the mistletoe (Viscum album). Photo: J. Lemons.

The researchers conclude that Viscum album has a wide range of ecological adaptations that allow it to thrive in city environments. They suggest that it could therefore be labelled as a synanthrophic species: "plants that live near, and benefit from, an association with humans and the somewhat artificial habitats that humans create around them".

Mistletoe thriving in a human-influenced environment. Photo: Sideway Views.

How does the mistletoe situation in New Zealand compare? Well, most of our mistletoes (Alepis flavida, Peraxilla tetrapetala, Peraxilla colensoi, Tupeia antarctica) are actually in decline due to human-induced changes to their habitats. However, pirita (Ileostylus micranthus) seems to be doing ok and can be found, for example, in the Dunedin Gardens and Cemetery:

Pirita (Ileostylus micranthus) on a rhododendron in Dunedin Cemetery. Photo: C. Kirby.

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Fruits of the forest: how well do you know our canopy fruit?

7/10/2014

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We've got a quiz for you this week; can you match the photos of fruit from different epiphytes, vines and mistletoes to the correct species? Hint: not all of the fruit in these photos is ripe. All photos (c) C. Kirby.

Species:
a. Kohia (Passiflora tetrandra)
b. Tāwhiri karo (Pittosporum cornifolium)
c. Pikirangi (Peraxilla tetrapetala)
d. Pekapeka (Winika cunninghamii)
e. Kahakaha (Collospermum hastatum)
f. Kōwharawhara (Astelia solandri)
g. Pirita (Alepis flavida)
h. Tāpia (Tupeia antarctica)
i. Puawānanga (Clematis paniculata)
j. Kareao (Ripogonum scandens)

Its interesting to see the range of fruit and associated dispersal mechanisms from these plants. How well did your matching go?

Here are the answers. Highlight the following with your cursor (best done on the website rather than email):
1-j 2-f 3-e 4-h 5-c 6-b 7-i 8-g 9-a 10-d

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Catherine Kirby

I work with NZ's native vascular epiphytes at the University of Waikato. I completed an MSc on epiphyte ecology and the shrub epiphyte Griselinia lucida and have recently published the Field Guide to NZ's Epiphytes, Vines & Mistletoes.

For me, the highlights of epiphyte research are the many unknowns, the amazing way that these plants survive in the canopy, and of course tree climbing!

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