From Australia: Pararistolochia praevenosa

Pararistolochia praevenosa: Richmond Birdwing Butterfly Vine

Reaching the sun drenched outer limits in the canopy over the vine forest, after a mammoth vertical, always tortuous climb; and still growing a woody striated girth, around whatever it can find, the Richmond Birdwing Butterfly Vine (Pararistolochia praevenosa) spreads out in search of the green/blue horizon.

Below in the canopy, the liana projects its glabrous, sometimes rusty pubescent new growth into adult leaves, leathery & shiny.  This is the foliage that attracts one of the largest, sweetly coloured butterflies in Australia.  The Richmond Birdwing butterfly (Ornithoptera richmondii) glides by, inspecting for sites to deposit, greenish-yellow eggs, singly or in small clusters, as the climber appears to rest.

Pararistolochia is a member of the Aristolochia family, commonly called the "Dutchman's Pipe" or "Pipevine" in reference to the ‘pipe’ shaped flowers.  It is represented in Australia with about 7 species.  Aristolochia littoralis or A. elegans (Calico Flower) a closely related species is an intruder, both in the southern United States and Australia.  Here in Australia the Birdwing Butterfly is attracted to the foliage of this species but unfortunately it kills the caterpillars. Efforts to avoid this plant’s spread are ongoing.

 

To A Butterfly by William Wordsworth

I've watched you now a full half-hour,
Self-poised upon that yellow flower;
And, little Butterfly! indeed
I know not if you sleep or feed.
How motionless! - not frozen seas
More motionless! and then
What joy awaits you, when the breeze
Hath found you out among the trees,
And calls you forth again!

 

 

Garry Thomas is a practicing ecologist with over 20 years of field survey and scientific reporting experience.  Living on the Sunshine Coast in South East Queensland he specializes in plant ecology and his research work involves extensive travel throughout Australia, often to remote locations.  Garry has a comprehensive understanding of the Australian flora and is particularly interested in the ecology and distribution of regional ecosystems, threatened species as well as the environmental impacts of naturalized species.  In the field of conservation biology his discoveries have helped secure key biodiversity areas.  Some specific examples of his outstanding botanical achievements include the discovery of the most northerly populations of the threatened species Eucalyptus conglomerata, Triunia robusta and Baloghia marmorata, as well as the rediscovery of Romnalda strobilacea in Kin Kin, another threatened plant which had not been recorded from the area since 1917.  In addition to his extensive field experience, Garry has successfully tutored in plant identification and ecology.