I am a big fan – and now privileged enough to call myself friend – of Loy over at The Concrete Canopy. At present, Loy is pursuing his Bachelor’s of Plant Science in Queensland, Australia, and his adventures are more than deserving of a read! I asked him if he’d be so kind as to put together a guest post for me, and he obliged. Right before I fell off the face of the Earth, of course. So, at long last, I’m proud to present his post – a photographic trek up a mountain with a decidedly different name (those wacky Aussies! Am I right?). I hope you learn something new: I know I did! (And, spoiler alert, can I express how much I love the fact that the “small greasy butterfly” is a real thing?) Take it away, Loy!
“Mount Coot-tha gets it’s name from the aboriginal word ‘kuta‘, which is the honey from the native stingless bee. I’m not sure if anyone comes to the hill to collect kuta today, but people certainly frequent its peak to capture stunning views of the Brisbane skyline. The eucalypt forests that blanket the hill and its surrounding landscape feature several easy trails that are popular with city folk, and the best time to visit is early spring when the forests is abloom. Now that it’s summer here in Australia, the forest is a little less dramatic, although it is far from flowerless. Little Lobelia purpurascens was blooming everywhere when I visited Mount Coot-tha last Friday, along with a whole suite of other subtle beauties. Here are a few shots I took on the bushwalk. Enjoy!”
Caterpillar of the Small Greasy butterfly (Acraea andromacha) feeding on a spade flower, Hybanthus stellarioides.
Pink watershoots from a fallen gum tree.
An Australian bluebell, Wahlenbergia gracilis (left) and Comellina diffusa (right).
Young fronds of what appears to be an Adiantum species.
Common wasp orchid, Chiloglottis diphylla.
Rice flowers, Pimelea linifolia, (left) and Rush lily, Tricoryne sp. (right).
Young leaves of the Brisbane laurel (Pittosporum revolutum) have a golden fuzz.
Small little daisy-like plant, possibly and probably an exotic introduction to the forest.
A flower of Lobelia purpurascens and its dine-in ants.
For more adventures in horticulture, be sure to visit The Concrete Canopy.
All photos and guest content © Loy Xingwen.
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