Orchids on Ulva Island

New Zealand has a surprisingly large number of native orchids. Surprising because on a cursory walk through our forests, alpine areas, bogs and open spaces we often fail to spot them, perhaps pre-conditioned to the large and flamboyant blooms we see in the florists. Closer examination shows us small and delicate blooms in all sorts of places.

One of the real delights of Ulva Island are the orchids we find growing, often in astonishing profusion throughout the forest. Many of them were quite hard to find in years past, and we can only think that those that have recently appeared are yet more beneficiaries of the rat free state of Ulva.

To illustrate the improvement in numbers, about 6 years ago I stepped backward off a track and stepped on a Spider Orchid. Probably the only specimen for several hundred yards and I got seriously yelled at by a botanist in the party. Today you cannot walk through the forest without standing on, in some places, carpets of them. And yet in mainland Stewart Island forest many remain difficult to find.

Some time ago Iris gave me a copy of  "The Nature Guide to New Zealand Native Orchids" by Ian St George and on following up I discovered the website of New Zealand Native Orchid Group .

Both the book and the web site are excellent both for general interest and as a reference resource and although I had thought to have my own photos of Stewart Island orchids on this page decided that I would only be trying to re-invent the wheel. So with the kind permission of the Orchid Group and with special mention of Ian St George and Michael Pratt the society webmaster I have linked to the appropriate pages of  the  species which may be found on Stewart Island.

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