Mozart loves Orchids

Phalaenopsis deliciosa

P. hieroglyphica

P. equestris

P. bastianii

Cleisostoma uriaense

Luisia cordatilabia

Calanthe sp.

view of Mt. Kanlaon from brgy. Patag, at about 700m

    Last week while I was in Bacolod city to vist my primo Josef , my friend Ronny Boos decided we should climb Mt. Mandalagan.  I said yes, expecting the climb will be with out glitch , I was sorely mistaken. He turned out as the anti thesis of German efficiency, at the 11th hour I was informed I had to prepare food and that we had no car to Brgy. Patag, the jump off point to Mt. Mandalagan. I borrowed my friend’s car, but Ronny didn’t have a license. had to borrow a driver as well. got a driver, had jollibee take out and 2 hour later at 11am got to brgy. Patag.

     we passed by our guide’s house where we saw several orchid species blooming, like this massive clump of Cylindrolobus fastigatifolius formerly belonging to the Genus Eria

and this is the macro shot of the flower.

one of the first orchids found was this Bulbophyllum vagans from the section Stachysathes

while I mostly focused on terrestrials like the following photos of 

gorgeous jewel orchids from the subtribe Goodyerinae. 

Goodyera clausa

Goodyera clausa

Anoectochilius sp.

this one isn’t a Goodyerine orchid, but is a jewel to behold, Nephelaphyllum pulchrum

oh and the mosses that comes in all shapes and sizes like this strange one 

while I was busy looking down, Ronny was busy looking up. he focused on epiphytes like this Bulbophyllum catenulatum

as much as I would like to post each and every photo we took, sadly I only have time for these. 

after spending a good four hours climbing up ‘til we reached 1200m we had to go down, it was four O’clock by then.

on our way down, and just at my eye level I found something special a bulbophyllum from the section Stachysanthes, with the biggest blooms I’ve ever seen for from the entire section. and probably still unknown species.

we call it ” Snowbell”

though I rather wish that it is called Bulbophyllum bustamanteae. but thats just me. and I found it first!

here is a parting shot of the mountain with Ronny

by time we reached the car it was 6pm. we got to bacolod at 8pm. even with that, and the incessant complains of Ronny. the mountain was well worth it. 

What’s behind Puerto Galera , literally.

Puerto Galera, one of the well know Diving destinations of the Philippines has more to offer than the surf and the beach. Last Jan 19, 2013 Ravan Schieder, the resident expert on orchids of Mindoro ( several of which are named after him D.ravani, Gram. ravani etc. ) took me through the old abandoned marble quarry a 5 hour trek that started from Ponderosa Golf course at about 400 m. above sea level.

About 15 minutes of a relatively easy walk, I found our first orchid Nervila plicata (sadly not in bloom) 

Ravan has never noticed this, but who can blame him if the orchid doesn’t look at all like a typical orchid.

minutes later we came  across more nervila plicata.

also along the way was habenaria hystrix and habenaria sp. 

along the way you can see the colourful flora and flora of mindoro, though i only took pictures of plants and invertebrates. 

like these two millepedes 

I have no Idea what they’re doing, but it looks fun.

A female Carpenter Bee

I’ve never seen a female before. just the big black male. which is seen here peeking from the inside of their nest.

this is a sight you’d never expect at 400 m 

 a hermit crab , which usually live on lowland forest close to the coast. 

snails, forest snails… 

pretty right, ok i got something better.

or better yet. 

and for full effect

 ok will stop with the snails.

something move alive I guess. 

ok, maybe not as alive. but much more interesting, this frog was just sitting there oblivious to the camera.

wasps.

Can you gues what this is? Phasmatodea .. or the stick insect.

ok, back to the orchids. here is a new Ludisia sp. so new it hasn’t been described. for over a century since the last and only other Ludisia sp. ( Ludisia discolor)was described.

Paphiopedillum henissianum at 700 m

the cloud forest at 1000 m

and my favorite orchid of all Anoectochilus sp. 

Peloric form

normal anoectochilus flower and bud

Anoectochilus habit, this jewel orchid is hard to grow.

Macro shot of anoectochilus flower

we are making a new website to highlight orchids found in the Philippines. I have stopped making entries in Wikipedia as it is very limiting and the editors are biased to one research or the other. 

though it is still under construction I’d like to hear your opinions of it. 

www.orchidiana.com

please leave a comment

R 

Anonymous asked: Where can I buy your terrarium?

Hi, please check my facebook page terrariums by raab, thank you

Naming The Orchid

By Justine Camacho-Tajonera

We agree that there is a universal dead language
that we use for naming living things.
I tell you of my regret that I do not know
the names of our island trees.
You shrug and tell me of your complete immersion
in only one flower and for that one elegant species
there are a thousand specific epithets.
You are looking for only one,
the one that you can call your own.
I imagine days and nights of taxonomy,
of careful handwritten notes in journals,
of phone calls to distant,
condescending scientists.
Love could be that slow cultivation,
the gradual uncovering of that one
uncommon color or texture
that no one has ever seen before.

For Raab

Justine Camacho-Tajonera was born and grew up in Cebu City, Philippines. Despite starting a corporate career in telecommunications, she pursued an M.A. in English Literature to keep her close to her first love of writing.

She has had her poetry published in several anthologies and local publications and she has published two books: Artemis Lets Go, a novel, and Gift: Poems, her first collection of poetry. She maintains a poetry blog, Claiming Alexandria.

She works full time on a corporate job in the Philippines, is married and has two children.

For more of Justine’s works , click here