Thursday, July 15, 2010

ho hum, more wild orchids...

One caveat: the mosquitoes were BRUTAL during almost this whole hike, so it was Quick Draw McGraw photography, and then back to hiking out of the then-gathered clouds of blood-sucking marauders, so no pretty shots. Pretty much just collecting data.


Yeah. My wrists and hands and face were covered with the very stylish giant welts I get from mosquitoes (kindofa freak that way). =) Keeps pesky strangers from trying to strike up conversations.

Anyhow, looked up some of the non-chlorophyll plants I saw, and there are 2 more orchids for our list!

striped coralroot, Corallorhiza striata, Orchidaceae

 spotted coralroot, Corallorhiza maculata, Orchidaceae

Must click on these to actually see them at all well.

Anyhow, hiking along I'd see something odd under the thick forest canopy and my spidey sense thought: unusual plant?!? And hop off the trail, toodle over to it and take a quick pic, HOPING it'd be something cool.

I think I've seen the striped coralroot before, tho' I know I looked for it at Mount Rainier and I never got to see it. I don't know if I've EVER seen the spotted coralroot. And I didn't know they were orchids. No idea.

So, short post today--full day, but there's still lots of pics from Sunday's hike (including the gorgeous columbine and a few "ah!" shots re: serious drop offs at Taft Point) that I'll share eventually.

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ARROWHEAD UPDATE: Sent pics to 2 archeo friends (conveniently married) and they both said "OMG."  They think it might be "paleo." While I don't yet know exactly what that means re: how old it may be, I read that message LAST thing before bed and couldn't sleep. Too excited. So calling a California archeologist friend today to see what he thinks. My married friends REALLY want me to report it and want an archeologist to come look. They asked if I'd done any more digging. I said no, indeed, I've backed away from the shovel, keeping my hands where archeologists can see them.

Good biologist. (pat pat pat)
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biobabbler

5 comments:

  1. I get those same stylish welts from biting gnats (my husband calls them sand fleas). Except they like snaking on my legs and my butt, not my face. Seems like it would be better, but I'd rather be seen scratching my face.

    That's pretty cool you found an arrowhead. I had to take archaeology to get my anthropology degree. Not my favourite out of the 4 fields (I was into physical anthro), but still pretty fascinating :)

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  2. You can never have too many orchids! There are some epiphytic orchids high up in the trees here, but I won't know what they are until they flower. (Probably not even then. I'm rotten at orchids.)

    That was an amazing arrowhead. Such a beautiful piece of work --- functional and gorgeous.

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  3. One thing I finally "get" about orchids ('cause I know so many people obsess about them) is that in the wild they just look SO DIFFERENT from so many other things.

    Re: arrowhead--yes, it's pretty exciting. My archeologist friend thought it was so nice it might have been used for ceremonial purposes, but it's pretty small for that (according to him). So, it might just be a really, really nice one.

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  4. ohhh fancy cool plant! Like it! But sorry about the 'skeeters...no fun, makes for unhappy biologists!

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  5. @ JN yes, fun plants. I actually thought of you with the 10,000 mosquitoes 'cause of your super watery work on the east side before the bugs have the summer-time hordes to feed on, I kindof assumed it's MUCH worse for you.

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