I had wanted to explore parts of Sherbrooke Forest at this time of year
looking for the Mountain Helmet-orchid on the ferns.
I'd almost left it too late for this year but managed to find plenty, particularly on one tree-fern.
They mostly grow near the upper end of Dicksonia antarctica,
though only seem to flower profusely when exposed to more light,
as happened to the tree-fern in some of the photos below.
I think it may have had a near miss with a falling branch which knocked most of the fronds off.
Where these orchids and the Soft Tree-ferns grow is classed a Cool Temperate Rainforest and I love it.
I've included some photos that hopefully convey some of the magical atmosphere;
though at this time of year there isn't so much a ground to walk on as mud to slush through.
With my new camera (which is more sensitive than my previous one)
I was able to take some scenery shots in the relative darkness.
And I also found some interesting leaves again.
That happened to me with C. diemenica in the reserve too, took another two years
before I saw them flowering there (this year, and I saw several colonies).
I'm not sure what these leaves might be, a bit like C. aconitiflorus or C. reniformis.
If its the latter then they should have buds now, which they don't,
so I'm assuming the former, though one leaf was particularly large.
Hopefully it won't take another 2 years for me to see them in flower although it looks like at least a 10 month wait.
