Monday, August 24, 2015

Red flower in the clouds

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It has been raining here north of Sydney for two days.
So today I took an umbrella and went walking in the rain.
This ridiculously tall flowering plant was my most exciting discovery.


Apparently it is called the Gymea Lily, the name derived from a local Eora aboriginal dialect.


Doryanthes excelsa is a flowering plant indigenous to the coastal areas of New South Wales near Sydney, Wikipedia says.
The plant has sword-like leaves more than a meter long.
 It flowers in spring and summer, sending up a flower spike up to 6 m high, which at its apex bears a large cluster of bright red flowers, each 10 cm across.


  (All photos are enlargeable with two separate clicks. )

Doryanthes excelsa:

Doryanthes – a composite of two Greek words, doratos, meaning spear, and anthos meaning flower;
excelsa – derived from the Latin, excelsus, meaning high or lofty.
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(Linking to OurWorld Tuesday.  And Gymea Lily is for ABC Wednesday.)
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6 comments:

  1. There are some really odd flora and fauna in that part of the world, (odd by our Northern Hemisphere standards anyway). This lily is certainly aptly named.

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  2. I love the flower on this plant... beautiful!!!
    Alice

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  3. Those are some tall flowers. Haven't been by any more, but "looks like we aren't in Israel anymore" said Dorothy as she clicked her ruby slippers.......

    Enjoy your time with the family!

    Janis
    GDP

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