The Tugela Valley and its Ansellias.
A while back I posted a blog on the Leopard Orchid (Ansellia africana), an indigenous epiphytic orchid found in our area. Nine months ago we found a large colony of about fifty huge plants averaging a meter in diameter. The site was a valley of a tributary of the Tugela River, approximately 40km inland. I have wanted to get back to photo the plants when in flower. Last week we went through and visited the plants in the late afternoon. Here are a few images
Close up of A africana flowers. These are typical of the Southern types with smaller yellow faintly marked flowers 
Another close up of the flowers
A medium sized plant in flower
Six plants high up in the tree, further up the valley we found some huge plants.
