Story behind the art of Daleen Roodt

27th Annual International

American Society of Botanical Artists and the Society of Illustrators

Disa woodii

Hazy and moist is the mist belt air that blankets the hills of KwaZulu-Natal. In a damp grassland, rife with new growth announcing the onset of spring, a mass of Disa woodii grows like a mosaic of fiery torches. Often, these orchids can be seen colonising roadsides and parks like common weeds, particularly in areas disturbed by humans. This particular gathering grew alongside a stream not far from where I live, in a park where the natural growth is seasonally trimmed back. Slowly I sludged closer through the dark muddy soil, black sooted twigs scratching marks on my boots.

Nestled knee-high between sedges and young dissotis, these orchids stood sturdy and erect. Their bright yellow flowers, eagerly spreading wide open their vibrant petals, appeared curious and inviting to receive their pollinator. I learned, however, that self-pollination is their method of propagation. The anthers of these disas, which are uncommonly positioned in the vertical, will drop pollinia onto the stigma situated right underneath it, and rather prolifically pollinate itself. Self-pollination is often a backup strategy used when pollinators are scarce. In this case, however, the method is immediate, and secures fast and prodigious seed production.

Beguiled, I sat amongst the orchids, breathing in the dampness, surrounded by the choir. Hours dissolved as I sketched their shapes, matching their colour to the pigments from my brush – the encounter, the acquaintance, is what brightens up the grey-damp sky.

Disa woodii is a pioneering species, often populating disturbed areas for a few years. Then, suddenly, they vanish as the surrounding valley grows denser with shrubs. Independently, wholeheartedly, they fulfil their purpose before suddenly, quietly, simply disappearing. Back in my studio, I reflect on their nature, and quietly I contemplate my purpose. And as my composition starts to grow and evolve to tell their story, I feel grateful to have witnessed these orchids flourish at the height of their existence.

References:

Johnson, S. D. & Bytebier, B. (2015). “Orchids of South Africa | A Field Guide”. Struik Nature.

Johnson, S. D. “Self-pollination in Disa woodii”. S.A.O.J/Vol

Huttonaea grandiflora with Oil-collecting Bee

Huttonaea grandiflora, Rediviva neliana

Huttonaea grandiflora is one of many orchids endemic to the alpine grasslands of the Drakensberg Mountains of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Characterized by dainty, white frilly claws that look more like snowflakes than petals, Huttonaea grandiflora is the largest of five species belonging to this genus. These orchids grow in mountainous, summer rainfall regions, speckling grasslands and rock crevices. A unique feature amongst Huttonaea is that each flower has two petal sacks on the upper petals or claws, with a wart-like texture of cells inside, called verrucae, which contain oil. The upper petals also feature a splash of maroon flecks, acting as a guide for female oil-collecting bees, in this case Rediviva neliana. The bee will land directly onto the flecked strip, clasping her midlegs around the central column. She then sticks her forelegs into the twin petal sacks, scrapes against the verrucae with specialized scraping-tips, consequently releasing oil from the cells. The collected oil is then transferred to the hindlegs before she flies back to her nest or visits another flower. In the process one or more pollinaria will stick to the oil-collecting bee’s abdomen, facilitating pollination.

All Huttonaea pollinators are habitat-specific, making these orchids’ pollination highly specialized. For this reason, the surrounding habitat is included in the portrayal of H. grandiflora, showing ground moss and ferns (Chelianthes viridis var. viridis). The importance of a healthy ecosystem and protected environment is essential to ensure the future coexistence of these unique orchids and their sole pollinators.

References

Johnson, S. D. & Bytebier, B. (2015). Orchids of South Africa | A Field Guide. Struik Nature.

Steiner, K. E. (2010). “Twin oil sacs facilitate the evolution of a novel type of pollination unit (meranthium) in a South African Orchid,” American Journal of Botany, 97(2): 311—323.

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Read more about this artist's work: Curious Allies