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Jim Fowler | profile | all galleries >> Galleries >> 2008-05-31 Day trip to Heritage Preserves in upstate SC tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

2008-05-31 Day trip to Heritage Preserves in upstate SC

2008-05-31 Day trip to three Heritage Preserves in upstate South Carolina. We had the pleasure of hosting Philip Kauth, a doctoral student from the University of Florida at Gainesville. His interests and academic work involve the native orchid, Calopogon tuberosus (Common Grass Pink). In the upstate of South Carolina, we are fortunate to have several populations of C. tuberosus in a wide variety of coloration and morphology.

Click here https://pbase.com/jimfowler/jims_pics for some additional photos of C. tuberosus.

This native orchid shares the same habitat as a rare pitcher plant, Sarracenia jonesii, as well as sundews and bladderworts. This gallery will serve as a modest record of Philip's visit.

The first few images are those of the native orchid, Calopogon tuberosus (Common Grass Pink). I wanted to show the structure of the flower and its unique pollination mechanism.

Those of you who are looking for the carnivorous plants in this gallery will have to look toward the bottom. Barry, you will recognize these sites from your past visit to the South Carolina upstate. The habitat (micro islands of vegetation) is quite interesting. The soil is no more than a couple of inches deep, having accumulated in holes and cracks in the solid granite that makes up the escarpment. Even a small island can support a dozen or more species of plants including three species of native orchids (Spiranthes cernua, Pogonia ophioglossoides, and Calopogon tuberosus) as well as three species of carnivorous plants (Drosera rotundifolia, Utricularia cornuta, and the endemic Sarracenia jonesii).

*** Click on any image to enlarge it...
Calopogon tuberosus - close up of the column showing the cap protecting the pollen grains on the end of the column
Calopogon tuberosus - close up of the column showing the cap protecting the pollen grains on the end of the column		 Looking down on the column. The protective cap has been lifted allowing the pollen to escape
Looking down on the column. The protective cap has been lifted allowing the pollen to escape		 I used a toothpick to lift the cap and dislodge the pollen grains
I used a toothpick to lift the cap and dislodge the pollen grains		 Close up of the lip, showing the deceptive pseudo pollen which fools the pollinator
Close up of the lip, showing the deceptive "pseudo pollen" which fools the pollinator		 Calopogon tuberosus flower before being pollinated
Calopogon tuberosus flower before being pollinated
After visit from the pollinator, the lip has bent on its hinge, covering the stigma
After visit from the pollinator, the lip has bent on its hinge, covering the stigma		 C. tuberosus with narrow sepals, petals, and lip
C. tuberosus with narrow sepals, petals, and lip		 C. tuberosus growing on a stump in the shallows of a pond
C. tuberosus growing on a stump in the shallows of a pond		 Walter photographing me photographing him...
Walter photographing me photographing him...		 This is me and Philip on the Blue Ridge escarpment bald
This is me and Philip on the Blue Ridge escarpment bald
Philip making measurements on the flowers of one of our C. tuberosus plants
Philip making measurements on the flowers of one of our C. tuberosus plants		 Philip recording more measurements
Philip recording more measurements		 Micro island on the escarpment's cataract - D. rotundifolia, S. jonesii, and U. cornuta
Micro island on the escarpment's cataract - D. rotundifolia, S. jonesii, and U. cornuta		 Closeup of D. rotundifolia and U. cornuta
Closeup of D. rotundifolia and U. cornuta		 Closeup of D. rotundifolia with U. cornuta
Closeup of D. rotundifolia with U. cornuta
Micro island hosting C. tuberosus and very fragrant U. cornuta
Micro island hosting C. tuberosus and very fragrant U. cornuta		 U. cornuta and a single C. tuberosus
U. cornuta and a single C. tuberosus		 Closeup of U. cornuta and C. tuberosus flowers
Closeup of U. cornuta and C. tuberosus flowers		 Lighter colored C. tuberosus on a micro island
Lighter colored C. tuberosus on a micro island		 One of the escarpment's micro islands providing habitat for many interesting carnivorous plants and native orchids
One of the escarpment's micro islands providing habitat for many interesting carnivorous plants and native orchids
Same, from a different perspective
Same, from a different perspective		 Sarracenia jonesii still in late bloom on the micro island - note prominent bulge near pitcher's lip
Sarracenia jonesii still in late bloom on the micro island - note prominent bulge near pitcher's lip		 Philip making more measurements of the native orchids
Philip making more measurements of the native orchids		 Philip getting a few shots of this very unusual habitat
Philip getting a few shots of this very unusual habitat

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Ron 09-Jun-2008 20:58
Thanks for sharing these pics of plants as they're growing in natural habitats. It's rare when I get to see them where they originated. Great pics!
Barry Rice 03-Jun-2008 15:52
Marvelous work as always, Jim!
Brian Barnes 01-Jun-2008 12:06
Very nice indeed! The Calapogon species is truly one of the most beautiful native orchids we have here in Florida too, including C. pallidus and C. multiflorus.
Thanks for sharing and Happy Growing,
Brian Barnes, President of FCPS.
Pieter C. Brouwer01-Jun-2008 06:08
Interesting work
click on thumbnails for full image