November Downunder

[Lesley Cox]

Hi Dave, nice to have you back again.

I think the iris looks like another Pacific coaster and that the frit is just F. affinis, lanceolata being an old synonym.

The asteranthera cuttings you gave me are looking good so far but the layered bits are not so maybe cuttings are the way to go. I hope they'll root well.

[David Lyttle]

Greetings All. Now I am registered and logged in lets try a test run. Lesley- Here is a picture of the mis-labelled Nomocharis I told you about. I have come to the conclusion it is Lilium lophophorum which was what you suggested. The flower is not as yellow as the picture in the book which initially mislead me.
David Lyttle

[Lesley Cox]

That looks really nice David. I have Lilium lophophrum v. linarioides from OAGG seed, as supplied by Dick King. It has its first two buds (still in seed pot!) at present so I'll be able to compare with yours in a couple or three days.

[David Lyttle]

Okia Flats with Lupinus arboreus  (California) and Sambucus nigra (Europe)  happily flowering away. This photo was obtained at considerable risk of my falling into Urtic ferox the host plant of the NZ red admiral butterfly.

Hope this post works

[mark smyth]

T00lie I think your Gladiolus brevitubus is Tritonia unless they have had a name change. I bought mine as Tritonia

[Anthony Darby]

Stunning photo of the New Zealand Red Admiral [Bassaris gonerilla]. I wonder if Urtica ferox would grow in the UK?

[SueG]

Hi Anthony - who don't you like?

I've just been 'googling' and discovered the New Zealand Tree Nettle can get to 3m, 10ft in old money and the stings can kill. This web site has a rather good pic - impressive, but maybe 12,000 miles is a good distance to view it from. http://www.treknature.com/gallery/Oceania/New_Zealand/photo9924.htm

On the other hand it might keep those neighbours you don't like away . . . .

Sue

[John Forrest]

Lovely picture of the Red Admiral, David. Is it a coincidence or do all the insects fly upside down in the antipodes?   

[David Lyttle]

There has been one recorded  human fatality from Urtica ferox poisoning in 1961. Horses and dogs have also suffered fatal poisonings. I can vouch from personal eperience that an Urtica ferox sting feels like having a red-hot needle stuck into you. For those of you who are interested in these matters the red admiral is happy with a diet of Urtica urens which no doubt is a familiar plant to many of you.

The red admiral ( Bassaris gonerilla) is the most common butterfly round here with the yellow admiral (Bassaris itea) being less common. The particular specimen in the photo was resting upside down on a hebe. Hebes are amongst the few NZ plants with brightly coloured flowers that are thought have evolved specifically for butterfly pollination. The butterflies are also attracted to Buddleia and Sedum floweres.

[Lesley Cox]

I can endorse David's comment re Urtica ferox. Don't even think about it Anthony.

John, did you not realize that EVERYTHING is upside down here? You only have to look at a globe to see that. All people, animals and every object has a built-in magnet thing in either feet or base, and we are born with this. It keeps us thoroughly grounded. Only birds, insects and airplanes have a mechanism where they can turn it off from time to time. 

[Maggi Young]

Shudder to think what might become of the younger Darbys if their Dad introduces Urtica ferox to feed his butterflies!
Good evening, Lesley, or should I say, good morning? See the dog's not getting taken out again!

I'm so pleased we are all getting the hang of the new forum... I am preparing a list of the  forum queries posted so far, with a view to making a sort of duffer's guide to posting! I hope that will make life easier for any new members having difficulty.

[Susan]

Well here goes.  Some photos may follow.  This has got to be my favourite plant flowering at present.
Ranunculus lyalli which is finally happy in my garden.  I have had it planted in quite a few places and was told that when it started to creep around it was happy.  I still have another one that is obviously not happy, although it is only about a metre away. It does not creep and does not flower.  Then Celmisia bellidiodes and C. semicordata.

Susan.

[Susan]

Shock, horror.  It actually worked first time.  That was easier than the old Forum, so congratulations to "our leaders". 

Susan, from sunny Dunedin, with icebergs our latest tourist attraction.  That's right for $500 you can helicopter out and see them.(That's about 160 pound or Euro250).

[Maggi Young]

Hi, Susan, well done on your fine posting and even finer photos! does me good to see them, though it is hard to imagine such flowers at a time of passing icebergs! I knew about that because my sister Ann and her husband, Bill Cranfield, also from Dunedin, had emailed us with photos from the local paper about the iceberg and the helicopter landing on it.  Not my idea of a day out, but I can see some would like the idea! Bill said " No wonder this spring has not been very tropical, the first time for about 100 years that an iceberg has been seen off the Dunedin coast.Flights are being organised to go & see them but apparently, they are now visible from Mount Cargill up above Campbells Road, so if the sky clears  I will go up with my binoculars to have a look.Cannot hang about though as they are melting fast."

Cheers,
Maggi

[Susan]

Do you never sleep, Maggi?  My son and I spent most of last Friday afternoon "iceberg spotting".  Didn't see any though.  These ones, there are 4 more, are around 50kms off the coast.  Still waiting for them to come a little closer to shore.  Anyone who is interested can go onto the Otago Daily Times site, www.odt.co.nz  and see one in today's paper.  It has a pretty turquoise lake on it.   Waiting to get a little bit for the whisky.

Susan