Photo blog: Drymoanthus adversus

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"?!