posted: June 30th, 2013 |
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This page continues the best photos of June 9th as we climbed towards the summit of Mt. Mitsutouge (1,786.1 m = 5,860 ft). We begin this page at 10:55 AM and go through the end of this adventure. Then Kazuya takes you to Mt. Takao on the 15th, and a search for more Orchids. After that, on June 16th, Kazuya takes you on another Orchid Search. On the 23rd, Kazuya again takes you on an Orchid Search and then, on the 28th Kazuya and I went together to the Minami Takao Area and he showed me the orchids which he found there on the 23rd. Actually, there is one more weekend in June, so there may be more photos, but the weekend coincides with the final 2 days of the month. Therefore, if we go out and get any good photos on June 29th or 30th we'll post them on next month's pages. Click on any thumbnail to begin.
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June 9th Continues From Page 2 (at 10:55 AM) |
  Okay, as the header says, we are now continuing June 9th and our climb of Mt. Mitsutouge, at 10:55 AM. Here is another shot of the Paris verticillata which you saw in final position on the previous page. That's followed by 2 more shots of the very rare orchid - Cypripedium macranthum var. speciosum. In 2nd position you can easily see the protective cage. For the 3rd shot I stuck my camera lens down through the top of the protective cage. |
Jun09_90_MtMitsutougeClimb _Paris_verticillataRC |
June9th_MtMitsutouge093_Cypripedium MacranthumVarSpeciosumRC |
Jun09_92_MtMitsutougeClimb_Cypripedium macranthum_var_speciosumRC |
  On the previous page in Row #20 we showed you a photo of the Japanese Crabapple - Malus toringo - here is one taken near the summit of Mt. Mitsutouge which is really nicely colored. In 2nd and 3rd positions are more examples of Cypripedium macranthum var. speciosum. You should recall that this is one of the Special Domestic Endangered Species of Orchid, so up here near the top of the mountain where people can easily find them, they are all in protective cages, as I said previously. The first shot here was again taken by sticking my camera lens down through a hole in the top of the cage. In the 3rd shot you can see that they use pretty heavy metal for these cages! |
June9th_MtMitsutouge 103_MalusToringoRC |
Jun09_93_MtMitsutougeClimb_Cypripedium _macranthum_var_speciosumRC |
Jun09_94_MtMitsutougeClimb_Cypripedium _macranthum_var_speciosumRC |
  The first shot in this row - another Cypripedium macranthum var. speciosum was taken from quite far away and really zoomed in so that I could eliminate the cage wires. The 2nd shot is the summit marker of Mt. Mitsutouge. I annotated it so that the English type numbers are right beside their equivalent Chinese characters. The 3rd shot was taken from the summit of the mountain looking down on the camping area. You can see two huts as well, those are for people who want their meals served to them and want to sleep under a real roof. |
Jun09_98_MtMitsutougeClimb_Cypripedium _macranthum_var_speciosumRC |
June9th_Mt Mitsutouge110RC |
Jun09_106_MtMitsutouge Climb_SceneryRC |
  Now we are descending Mt. Mitsutouge and we managed to find a few more of the Galearis cyclochila Orchid - the same one we found yesterday. The first shot is a close-up and the 2nd shot is an overview. The 3rd shot - the map - was taken at the bottom of the mountain. Yes, the trail is actually nearly as steep as it looks. Keep in mind that we did not go up via this trail. We did go up via this trail back in March, 2004 though when Kazuya and I first climbed this mountain. Then in May of 2006 I ascended via this trail, camped out in my one-man tent (but not in the approved camping area) and then I descended via this trail the following day. Go to the "All Photos List" via the link at the bottom of this page and then do a text search for Mitsutouge if you want to see those photos. Alternately - the 2004 photos are HERE (new window or tab) and the 2006 photos are HERE. |
June9th_MtMitsutouge118 _GalearisCyclochilaRC |
Jun09_109_MtMitsutouge Climb_Galearis_cyclochilaRC |
Jun09_111_MtMitsutouge Climb_SceneryRC |
  Now we are way down, and the first photo in this row shows all 3 peaks of Mt. Mitsutouge (Mitsutouge actually translates as "3 mountain passes"). The 2nd shot is a zoomed in shot from the same spot. The 3rd shot shows the mountain from the Mitsutouge Train Station - where we caught a train bound for home! |
Jun09_112_MtMitsutouge Climb_SceneryRC |
Jun09_113_MtMitsutouge Climb_SceneryRC |
Jun09_116_MtMitsutouge Climb_SceneryRC |
End June 9th, Begin June 15th |
  On June 15th Kazuya went to Mt. Takao on a miserable rainy and dark day in search of more Orchids. He found 2 types. In this row are 2 shots of Oberonia japonica a miniature sized, cold growing epiphyte or lithophyte found in southeastern China, Japan, Korea, The Ryukyus and Taiwan on trees or rocks in forests. They have a short stem enveloped by distichous, imbricate, equitant, obliquely oblong-linear to lanceolate, acute leaves which get larger towards the apex of the stem. The blooms occur on an apical, axillary, slender, erect to arcuate, 2 to 3 inch (26 to 52mm) tall, racemose, many flowered inflorescence in the summer and fall with linear-lanceolate, acuminate floral bracts. This is the ninth of 15 different orchids you will see on this month's 3 pages. |
June15th_MtTakao 003_OberoniaJaponicaRC |
June15th_MtTakao 006_OberoniaJaponicaRC |
  Kazuya also found this Orchid - the Lecanorchis japonica Orchid. They are terrestrial, leafless myco-heterotrophs (formerly called saprophytes). They produce numerous, long, thick, horizontal roots under a short rhizome. The erect, dark, branched or unbranched stems are thin and brittle. They bear few to many dull brown, purple, yellow or green flowers with a somewhat brighter lip. The lip is about of equal length to the sepals and is covered with dense, yellow hair. This is the tenth of 15 different orchids you will see on this month's 3 pages. |
June15th_MtTakao010 _LecanorchisJaponicaRC |
June15th_MtTakao045 _LecanorchisJaponicaRC |
June15th_MtTakao011 _LecanorchisJaponicaRC |
  Here are the 2 final shots of the Lecanorchis japonica Orchid. The 2nd image has an insertion to show you the detail of the flower. |
June15th_MtTakao036 _LecanorchisJaponicaRC |
June15th_MtTakao062_Small _LecanorchisJaponicaRC |
End June 15th, Begin June 16th |
  On June 16th Kazuya went out in the rain and damp on another Orchid search and I stayed at home. The location he went to is not shown to protect the innocent orchids. He told me that a person very recently fell to his/her death while attempting to climb up and get (= steal) some of this orchid. That's karma for you I guess! Kazuya additionally reported that this popular climbing destination was deserted and that the nearby campground was closed when he was there. Japanese people tend to avoid a mountain (or other) area where somebody recently died, I don't know why. Maybe it's a superstition similar to one I experienced in The Philippines - a dead person's ghost is in search of a new body to inhabit for several days after his/her death. Anyway, this small blue/purple flowered orchid is Orchis graminifolia. As you can see, it is found growing on rock faces. The rock face was pretty much vertical and the Orchids were pretty far away, so none of these photos are what could be considered "great". In fact, you have to search to find the orchids in every shot. Look for the blue/purple flowers. This is the eleventh of 15 different orchids you will see on this month's 3 pages. |
June16th_015Crop _OrchisGraminifoliaRC |
June16th_019Crop _OrchisGraminifoliaRC |
June16th_023Fr_ OrchisGraminifoliaRC |
  And here are 3 more "not so great" shots of the Orchis graminifolia Orchid. Maybe we can get better shots someday. |
June16th034Crop _OrchisGraminifoliaRC |
June16th_035_ OrchisGraminifoliaRC |
June16th_046_PSTM_ OrchisGraminifoliaRC |
End June 16th, Begin June 23rd |
  On June 23rd Kazuya went out on another Orchid search. When he told me his plan it sounded like more than I wanted to attempt in a single day, so I let him go alone. The first photo in this row shows Lysimachia clethroides - a plant which we call Tiger's Tail. The 2nd shot is an orchid - Epipactis thunbergii - with a blow-up of just the flower inserted to show you the details. It's a rare orchid which grows in Japan and the colder parts of north-eastern Asia. It thrives in moist soil in light shade, or morning sun. The flowers appear in summer and are very showy in shades of yellow, orange-yellow and tangerine on 60 cm. tall plants. Each bloom has an intricate pattern in shades of pink, lurid pink and orange marks on the lip. The 3rd shot shows Prunella vulgaris subsp. asiatica - such attractive colors! This is the twelfth of 15 different orchids you will see on this month's 3 pages. |
June23rd_Machida009 _LysimachiaClethroidesRC |
June23rd_Machida013 _EpipactisThunbergiiRC |
June23rd_Machida010_Prunella VulgarisSubspAsiaticaRC |
  Here are 3 additional shots of Epipactis thunbergii - a rare orchid. The 2nd shot again has a blow-up of just the flower inserted to show you the detail. |
June23rd_Machida044 _EpipactisThunbergiiRC |
June23rd_Machida019 _EpipactisThunbergiiRC |
June23rd_Machida045 _EpipactisThunbergiiRC |
  In 1st position in this row is a very pretty Lobelia chinensis. That is followed by a "Spiral Orchid" the Spiranthes sinensis var. amoena, note how the flower stalk grows in a spiral. This is the thirteenth of 15 different orchids you will see on this month's 3 pages. The 3rd shot is an overview shot of Epipactis thunbergii - the rare orchid which Kazuya was fortunate enough to find. |
June23rd_Machida072 _LobeliaChinensisRC |
June23rd_Machida069_ SpiranthesSinensisVarAmoenaRC |
June23rd_Machida075 _EpipactisThunbergiiRC |
  Here are 3 more shots of that rare orchid Kazuya found - Epipactis thunbergii. The 3rd image again has a single flower image inserted to give you a close-up of the flower detail. |
June23rd_Machida080 _EpipactisThunbergiiRC |
June23rd_Machida084 _EpipactisThunbergiiRC |
June23rd_Machida082 _EpipactisThunbergiiRC |
  And, guess what, here are 3 more shots of the rare orchid Epipactis thunbergii. So very beautiful. |
June23rd_Machida086 _EpipactisThunbergiiRC |
June23rd_Machida099 _EpipactisThunbergiiRC |
June23rd_Machida096 _EpipactisThunbergiiRC |
  And, three more shots. The 1st and 3rd shots are very similar, but taken from enough of a different angle so that we thought it worth showing both of them to you. |
June23rd_Machida116 _EpipactisThunbergiiRC |
June23rd_Machida113 _EpipactisThunbergiiRC |
June23rd_Machida118 _EpipactisThunbergiiRC |
  Here is a final shot of the Epipactis thunbergii Orchid. The 2nd and 3rd shots show an attractive series of rice fields. |
June23rd_Machida179 _EpipactisThunbergiiRC |
June23rd _Machida005RC |
June23rd _Machida146RC |
  In this row you can see the 3rd Orchid which Kazuya found on this date. This is Galeola septentrionalis a myco-heterotrophic orchid - that is, it is parasitic upon fungi. Interesting, eh! The 3rd shot is a small portion of the 2nd photo, which has been cropped out and rotated. Here is the fourteenth of 15 different orchids you will see on this month's 3 pages. |
June23rd_MinamiTakao002_ GaleolaSeptentrionalisRC |
June23rd_MinamiTakao004_ GaleolaSeptentrionalisRC |
June23rd_MinamiTakao004Part _GaleolaSeptentrionalisRC |
  In 1st position in this row is the final shot of Galeola septentrionalis a myco-heterotrophic orchid - that is, it is parasitic upon fungi. Then, believe it or not, Kazuya's 4th orchid of the day! The 2nd and 3rd photos show you Yoania amagiensis - an orchid which very little is known about. If you do an internet search for this scientific name you get "no known associations for this page", "only very incomplete information available", "details of this species are unknown" and the like! Weird, eh. I even found one page which says "Yoania amagiensis T. Nakai F. Maekawa, a new species of Yoania". You can read a PDF about this orchid (partially in French (?) and partially in English) HERE (new window or tab). And this is the 15th of 15 different orchids you have seen on this month's 3 pages. |
June23rd_MinamiTakao005_ GaleolaSeptentrionalisRC |
June23rd_MinamiTakao 022_YoaniaAmagiensisRC |
June23rd_MinamiTakao 023_YoaniaAmagiensisRC |
  And here are 3 more shots of the Yoania amagiensis Orchid. A species which very little is known about. |
June23rd_MinamiTakao 019_YoaniaAmagiensisRC |
June23rd_MinamiTakao 027_YoaniaAmagiensisRC |
June23rd_MinamiTakao 026_YoaniaAmagiensisRC |
  Here are the final 2 shots of Yoania amagiensis - an orchid which very little is known about. The 3rd image is a small portion cropped out of the 2nd photo. |
June23rd_MinamiTakao 024_YoaniaAmagiensisRC |
June23rd_MinamiTakao 032_YoaniaAmagiensisRC |
June23rd_MinamiTakao032 Part_YoaniaAmagiensisRC |
End June 23rd, Begin June 28th |
  On the 28th of the month Kazuya and I went out to the Minami Takao Area together and he showed me the orchids he found in that area on the 23rd, so here are a few more photos of those Orchids. In this row all 3 shots are of the Yoania amagiensis Orchid. The first shot shows it at the tip of Kazuya's outstretched hand for scale. This is a very strange Orchid, not so very pretty, but certainly unique! |
June28_01_TakaoArea _Yoania_amagiensisRC |
June28_02_TakaoArea _Yoania_amagiensisRC |
June28_17_TakaoArea _Yoania_amagiensisRC |
  In this row are 3 more shots of the Galeola septentrionalis Orchid. This one has a nicely attractive flower and each of these shots shows the flower and portions of the stalk. The plant itself is not very attractive, but the flower is nice. |
June28_27_TakaoArea_ Galeola_septentrionalisRC |
June28_25_TakaoArea_ Galeola_septentrionalisRC |
June28_28_TakaoArea_ Galeola_septentrionalisRC |
  Here are the final 3 shots (or images) of the Galeola septentrionalis Orchid. The center image is a collage of 6 flowers and the final image is a 2 shot panorama. The first shot showed the top of the plant and the 2nd shot showed the lower part. And, that's all for the month of June, 2013. |
June28_31_TakaoArea_ Galeola_septentrionalisRC |
Galeola_Septentrinalis_ Orchid_Collage_EffectsRC |
June28_45_46_Panorama_Takao Area_Galeola_septentrionalisRC |
End June 28th, End Page 3, End June 2013's Photos |
  Here are links to separate web pages - all of them will open in a new window (or new tab). The first link shows some photos of our DVD Collection, an AVI Movie of our Home Theater System and 9 photos of our Sharp Aquos TV. The 2nd link shows our entire DVD collection in DVD Profiler (if you're asking yourself what might be good to rent for the weekend). The DVD's will be sorted by date purchased. You can click on the "Title" Column to sort that way if you desire. The 3rd link shows our entire DVD collection in php DVD Profiler, which is much more sophisticated than the plain vanilla DVD Profiler just above it. The 4th link takes you to a set of pages which show you the FRONT cover-art of our entire DVD collection. |
January 1, 2013 - DVD Collection & Home Theater System |
Please check it out by clicking on the above button. (Click on the "Studies of Plants and Wildlife"  link in the new window.) |
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