I forgot to get the species name of this flower, but one of the most interesting things in the desert exhibit at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens is how colorful so many of the plants and flowers in the desert are.
One fully open flower surrounded by several others in various stages of opening. The ray flowers are many in a sinlge row, spatulate, a rich sherbet orange; the disc flowers are tiny and brown, in a cone, opening from the base up.
Adenocalymma darwinii. A. Flowering branch. B. Leaf. C. Detail of trichomes. D. Flower. E. Detail of corolla trichomes. F. Bracteole. G. Detail of calyx. H. Detail of calyx trichomes. I. Opened flower. J. Nectar disk, ovary, style, and stigma. K. Detail of stigma. Illustrated from Kollmann 8228 (SPF) by Klei Souza.
"Calflora is seeking an experienced software developer who would like to take part in important conservation work and who values biodiversity data. This software developer would assist in maintaining and developing Calflora’s Java-based website and infrastructure, including systems administration, database management, web application programming, front-end development, and data integration."
Many plants connect via mycorrhizal fungi that link roots into shared underground networks. These networks mediate nutrient exchange and, under certain conditions, carbon and stress-related signal transfer between connected plants. Ecological outcomes vary by plant species, fungal partners, soil nutrients, and environmental context, and are largely regulated by fungal physiology rather than plant intent.
Large duck orchid (Caleana major) and sun orchid with spots (Thelymitra ixioides / Thelymitra juncifolia) near Karbeethong, East Gippsland, VIC.
Only made it down to East Gippsland on three mornings this spring / early-summer but still managed to see a good range of the regular locals (plus a couple of interesting new ones!)
A few more late-flowering sun orchids with spots (Thelymitra ixioides / Thelymitra juncifolia) variations near Mallacoota, East Gippsland, VIC.
Only plants in part shade on the edge of the forest were still flowering in early November at this location - usually in slightly damper soils than the adjacent open grassland.
Late-flowering sun orchids with spots (Thelymitra ixioides / Thelymitra juncifolia) variations near Karbeethong, East Gippsland, VIC.
Quite a few different variations still in flower here in more shaded spots with protection from harsh afternoon sun when more exposed plants have all finished.
Is there such a miracle as funding for a "roll your own" PhD in EU, UK, Canada, NZ?
I'm finding that most funded PhDs in plant science are slanted towards computation (either bioinformatics or remote sensing or AI) and that's not my forte nor my interest. I'd really like to be able to construct a research topic of my own given I'm not finding what I'm hoping for in advertised PhDs.
Sun orchids (Thelymitra) growing close together in open grassland west of Mallacoota, East Gippsland, VIC.
Sun orchids with spots (T. ixioides / T. juncifolia) growing alongside T. carnea and several different species in the T. pauciflora group can lead to some beautiful hybrids including T. x irregularis (top right).