The Clipper butterfly (Parthenos sylvia) on Yellow Allamanda flowers in Sabah, December 1994
Ken, a question came to the helpdesk, wondering if the leaves of the plant in your image are leathery enough to be C. cathartica. To my untrained eye, they appear to be, but I thought I should ask the question to double-check.
Thanks in advance!
Terry
I can't really help much here. The leaves look pretty leathery to me. I took the photographs on a brief visit to Sabah, Malaysia and did not have access to a full flora for identification, but every detail of the flowers fits perfectly. I do not know the Allamanda genus at all well. Are there other related species in that area?
The leaves appear to me to be too small to be an Allamanda cathartica, but photos can be deceiving. Allamanda schottii, the bush variety, has smaller leaves and flowers. The blooms are identical except for the size. I had a bush Allamanda but unfortunately it froze during a very cold winter here in San Antonio. I enjoy your photos. You have presented many beautiful and interesting plants.
It seems likely that this is in fact Allamanda schottii. As I recall the plant was a shrub about 1.5 metres tall. At the time I was more interested in photographing the butterfly rather than examining the plant it was feeding on.
I will suggest that the pictures be moved to that species.
I've moved both images - thanks!
kennedyh, I really did not know there was an Allamanda cathartica until I saw the one I posted the other day. I saw it in a church lanscaping. Thanks for taking the time to examine your photos and suggesting they be moved. I look forward to you next plant photos. :o)
Terry, thanks.
