Journal Number 107
February 2008

ORIGINAL PAPERS

Canterbury Tales
By Gordon Sylvester

A short notice trip was organized to Okuti Valley Banks Peninsula for Sunday 9 Dec 07.

On Saturday en route, we decided to call in to Kelly's Creek again to look at those pesky Pterostylis, only to find that DoC had been busy with a weedeater cleaning up the track margins of the nature walk and (yes you have guessed it) those orchids. Relocated back to the other end of the track and - yes busy there as well. Eventually found several specimens a little distance from the track. All specimens now displaying P. oliveri flowers with graminea width leaves looking like P. australis. Is this now a P. oliveri x P. australis hybrid? Some plant showing the oliveri flower were collapsing onto the ground. Need more observations next year.
What an excuse!

Moved on up to Otira River track at the top of Arthurs Pass. Here Caladenia lyallii was in flower. Other specimens noted were Aporostylis bifolia, Waireia stenopetala both in leaf stage in sheltered locations.

Arrived at John Campbell's place in Lyttleton and spent the night there. Awoke on Sunday morning to a light drizzle. We decided to go anyway: the rest of the party could make its own mind. Melanie arrived at John's and we were away to Little River. Several other vehicles joined
us including one couple who had visited Hugh Wilson's property on Saturday.

The weather had cleared up to a warm sunny morning. We all obtained lunch and drink supplies and moved back to Okuti Reserve. Long groans were heard about the lack of orchids in the reserve. All that was seen on the steep sides were a P. graminea type leaf with developing ovaries; the flower was too collapsed to look at the column. Exiting he reserve onto an old access road we continued our climb. Noting some very immature Thelymitra longifolia and another V sectioned leaved species. The first Caladenia minor showed its small flower out of the grass verge and attracted the cluster of cameras. A little further up, a single Gastrodia minor was seen in full flower in the grass on a dry bank under manuka: a new record for the Peninsula. Back to the vehicles for lunch and relocation to Oka Road. It was then proposed we go to the top of the hill for a final look in the Montgomery Reserve.

The day ended in the Hilltop tavern admiring the view over Akaroa Harbour before returning to the parked up vehicles and home.

Species Observed

Sat 8 Dec at Hugh Wilson's property

Pterostylis aff graminea, Nematoceras undetermined, Chiloglottis cornuta,
Thelymitra longifolia and Thelymitra cyanea.

Sunday 9 Dec Okuti Reserve

Pterostylis graminea agg. Nematoceras macranthum, Thelymitra longifolia,
Thelymitra intermedia, Caladenia minor, Gastrodia minor

At Montgomery Reserve

Pterostylis graminea agg, Pterostylis areolata

All were in ED 57.03. The group was well satisfied with the trip.