# the queen ladyslipper ++ (part 2)



## cnycharles (Jun 29, 2011)

after we finished up at the hammond hill state forest, a few of us went in different directions. matt young and tom nelson went to another fen to see the platanthera flava and others, while nyeric and I went to bob's barbecue for some fine dinner! (and dessert) right about the time we finished eating and cleaning up all of the stray sauce, matt called and asked which way we were headed. we all headed to one of the areas that there quite a few platanthera grandiflora, or the greater purple fringed orchid. there are two types of purple orchids that flower a few weeks apart, and this is the first one. the plants usually have very bright purple flowers that are larger than the later species. purple fringed means 'mud' and sometimes 'bugs'...






eric and I arrived at the purple fringed site before the others, so eric suited up with his high boots and bug spray!  I'd made him nervous with all the talk about upstate ny mosquitos so he lathered up pretty heavily





eric holding his parasol, or more accurately tom nelson's light bouncing umbrella. tom was taking a picture of one of the large purple fringed orchids and eric was helping with tom's equipment





larger purple fringed





this plant was a ways down the slope near the flat area of the fen. I noticed this one in particular, because it was much lighter in color than all of the rest of the plants. also, if you look at the fringing of the lip and petals, this plant had much more fringing than usual, and I had thoughts that this might be a potential hybrid between platanthera grandiflora and platanthera lacera or the ragged fringed orchid, which can be found a little later within a few miles of this site. the fringing looks a bit more like p. lacera over the top of grandiflora, but I don't know how you would definitively tell if it were a hybrid or not










two nice plants down in the woods





a canada lily bud





eric callender (nyeric), matt young and tom nelson and the large purple fringed orchid in the front middle





two beautiful plants in deep cover, with some rays of sun shining through the thickets





"you know matt, it's okay to admit if we're lost!"





last look and close-up

next installment coming soon!


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## W. Beetus (Jun 29, 2011)

Beautiful purple color!


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## goldenrose (Jun 29, 2011)

:clap: Looks like a good time! Nice photos! :clap:


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## SlipperFan (Jun 29, 2011)

That is just a gorgeous orchid.

Good to see that Eric didn't get carried away by the mosquitoes -- I imagine they are similar to their Michigan relatives... big and hungry.

Tom Nelson came to our society last month. Unfortunately I was at Redlands and so missed his talk. I've heard that it was excellent. I always like to see good photography.


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## cnycharles (Jun 30, 2011)

*part two next fen*

after we finished up at the purple fringed fen, tom nelson needed some pictures of spiranthes lucida plants for his new book. we decided to head to another fen that didn't have showy ladyslippers, so that we could see a few more new orchids and then save the best for last. we had heard that there were a few fens that had a few hundred flowering showy ladyslippers and this was eric's main reason for coming up to central ny! he wasn't to be disappointed






there were at least a few dozen shining ladies' tresses at the next fen, growing in and around a very wet, calcareous open area





a small clump of nice spiranthes lucida





tom nelson trying to get that picture lined up without getting completely soaked! (it didn't work  ) nyeric assisting





a nice bog candle or platanthera dilatata; they have an extremely nice honey/spicy fragrance, a lot like cloves





a nice colony of blue flag iris





a tiny rose pogonia hiding in the grass and sedge

final installment upcoming!


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## Shiva (Jun 30, 2011)

Great trip and beautiful flowers. Thanks very much for posting.


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## NYEric (Jun 30, 2011)

cnycharles said:


> ..eric was helping with tom's equipment


 

:rollhappy:


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## Wendelin (Jun 30, 2011)

Thanks for letting us join your trip! :clap:
Very nice pictures!


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## Hera (Jun 30, 2011)

Just beautiful, the blooms were nice too.:evil:


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## JeanLux (Jul 1, 2011)

Wow, guys, you must have had a great trip!!!! Thanks for all of these pics, are these all yours Charles?

Nice to meet Tom on pics after having read the Orchid Fever chapter of his endeavours :clap::clap::clap: Jean


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## biothanasis (Jul 1, 2011)

Cool photos!!!!


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## cnycharles (Jul 1, 2011)

JeanLux said:


> Wow, guys, you must have had a great trip!!!! Thanks for all of these pics, are these all yours Charles?
> 
> Nice to meet Tom on pics after having read the Orchid Fever chapter of his endeavours :clap::clap::clap: Jean



thanks, jean. yes, it was a great trip. and at least for me it was only during the afternoon as I picked eric up at the bus station about noon. all of the pictures in this thread are mine. and about tom nelson, this tom nelson is from new york city, he isn't the tom nelson written about in 'orchid fever' who has rescued native orchids from ditches and road construction. this tom nelson is a jazz pianist!


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## JeanLux (Jul 2, 2011)

cnycharles said:


> ...this tom nelson is from new york city, he isn't the tom nelson written about in 'orchid fever' who has rescued native orchids from ditches and road construction. this tom nelson is a jazz pianist!



Ok, great to meet the jazzist Tom  !!!! Jean


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## s1214215 (Jul 2, 2011)

Beautiful plants and pics there Eric. Sending you an email.

Brett


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