Indian Clock Vine / Thunbergia mysorensis

This photo was taken about a week ago, on 8 September 2015. In the morning, I joined a group of friends for a three-hour stroll at Inglewood Bird Sanctuary. 38 bird species were seen, though I didn't manage to see any of the tiny, fast-moving Warblers. It was good to see 28 Wood Ducks, but they were far, far away, in an area that is still closed due to devastating flood damage. The Sanctuary had been closed for about two years for this reason and only very recently re-opened just a part of the area.

The Calgary Zoo is very close to the Sanctuary, so after our morning walk, I decided to call in there. I hadn't been for about a year and I really missed going there. Of course, many of the garden flowers were past their prime, but I did find a few that were fit to photograph.

I knew I wouldn't be able to walk far, having already been walking all morning, but I really wanted to get to the ENMAX Conservatory to see what was going on. I had been longing all summer to see the tropical butterflies and plants. I gasped when I first spotted this amazing vine - this was the first time I had ever seen it! The butterfly season will be coming to an end for these tropical beauties, but there were still plenty of them to be seen. Also, this month, the parking lot that I use will close for the winter and I don't like the drive back home from the north parking area, using Deerfoot Trail, so tend not to go to the Zoo all winter.

"Thunbergia mysorensis is a woody-stemmed, evergreen, climbing plant native to India. The genus name Thunbergia commemorates the Swedish physician and botanist, Carl Peter Thunberg (1743-1828), a protégé of Linnaeus. The species name 'mysorensis' refers to the city of Mysore in southern India. It is an attractive plant for winter and spring flowering in a conservatory or warm greenhouse."

Thunbergia mysorensis is widely cultivated as an ornamental in the tropics, as well as in conservatories and greenhouses elsewhere. It has received an Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society." Other common names include lady's slipper vine, dolls' shoes, brick and butter vine. From Kew Royal Botanical Gardens website.

www.kew.org/science-conservation/plants-fungi/thunbergia-...

There was so much activity going on at the Zoo on this most recent visit. People everywhere, carrying large animals wrapped in white, protective coverings, preparing for the upcoming ILLUMINASIA, Lantern & Garden Festival. Each animal is an individual lantern and there are so many of them. I noticed that several of the real animals in their enclosures were watching all the unaccustomed activity, which made me smile.

A good day, despite the overcast sky, and plenty of photo opportunities. Recently, I have been finding far fewer things to photograph, with fall on its way, so a day like this was more than welcome.