New Zealand Alpine Flora

[Hoy]

I try to establish different ferns in my garden and the tangle fern looks special. Do you think it is hardy?

Not sure Trond.Although it grows in a harsh environment in terms of wind and exposure the winters here on the coast are very mild with nil snow cover.I can collect you some spores if you wish to experiment.
Thanks Dave, if you do I appreciate that. Exciting to experiment with ferns!

Thanks Rick and John
Having worked most of the weekend i'm away into a remote area of the Eyre Mtns tomorrow with another enthusiast for 3 days tramping/botanizing so hopefully i'll have something to report.
Sure you have! Look forward to see!

Cheers dave. 

[Weiser]

Sounds like a great getaway! I look forward to your report!

[Toole]

3 day visit last week to the Eyre Mtns Northern Southland (part 1 of 5     )

Our first day was very wet with low fog and heavy drizzle at times which affected the quality of any pics i took.

After an hour or two of climbing up a side valley we came into 'fields' of the large dramatic Aciphylla aff. horrida 'Lomond'.


The males having performed their duties were beginning to droop.


Leaving the females to raise any offspring.


Celmisia densiflora flowering near the small stream.


A bit higher up on scree Hebe buchananii.


After a 3.5 hour uphill slog we reached our initial target of a small tarn ,and began searching around the steep screes for a number of specialized inhabitants--firstly, Stellaria roughii grows by the thousands here.


Myosotis glabrescens is a rare plant ,known only to live on a small number of ranges--it was great to see it for the first time in the wild.
 

NZ is famous for it's many large bright and colourful Ranunculus sps.Ranunculus pilfera was another plant i had yearned to view --while we saw good numbers ,most were individual plants here and there in bloom.


Ranunculus pilifera close up


Will post images of the rest of the trip in the next day or 3.

Cheers dave.

[Hoy]

I know, if you are out looking for plants to picture or just walk in the mountains, foggy weather isn't the cosiest! But the pictures get a very special atmosphere if you have enough light to take them.

I very much like the scenery; familiar and unfamiliar at the same time and so are the plants. Very nice, Dave.

[Toole]

Thanks Trond

Continuing our search around the tarn we found the weird Ranunculus scrithalis --it always has a preference for clayish screes of thinnish depth.


We then moved onto the shaded cliffs .Home of Anisotome capillifolia and Cheesemania wallii.






Climbing higher to reach the ridgeline between the headwaters of creeks 1 and 2 ,Aciphylla spedenii, Celmisia hectorii , Abrotanella inconspicua and Ourisia sessilifolia.










Cheers dave

[Hoy]

I like all the plants but the Ranunculus gets my vote!
Is the climate in these mountains high alpine with snow cover all winter? And what is the summer temperature? Do the plants get moisture from fog or from rain in summer? I remember from the High Atlas Mtns in Northern Africa that fog is an important source of water.

[Booker]

Absolutely wonderful as usual, Dave ... so many thanks for posting.

[Toole]

Thanks Cliff.

Trond
Yes normally under snow all winter with falls early June and melt starting in November .

NZ is a very narrow country surrounded by water ,so very much a maritime climate and although there are dryish areas inland, most ranges receive moisture from summer rains , topped up by fog ,meaning there is soil moisture available .

On a still day in the mountains temperatures can be high --i have a number of times been sunburnt ,(or even windburnt on an overcast day), however in my experience because there is a predominance of wind,temps most days are cool on the 'tops'.

Carrying on with the trip.....
Also on the ridgeline large mats of Kelleria dieffenbachii and Hectorella caespitosa and surprizingly in open positions Ourisa caespitosa






As we popped over into the next watershed a number of different Celmisias sps growing in snowgrass appeared.
Celmisia verbsacifolia




The lovely silver growth of Celmisia semicordata ssp stricta impressive even when not in flower


Same for a hybrid




Final posting tomorrow night  

Cheers dave.

[Booker]

Superb once again, Dave.  

[Hoy]

Dave, thank you for information. Sounds not unlike western part of Norway.... (picture, without fog!)

I have grown some Celmisia a few times and also some Ourisia but they have been shortlived. Your pictures give the reasons why I want to try more!

[Wainwright]

What fantastic plants, Dave! NZ really has it all; from beautiful Celmisia to wierd Aciphylla and wonderful Ranunculus.

[Toole]

Thank you Jenny .

I grow a number of South African plants so have been following your 'posted' journey with interest.

On our last day we travelled an hour by vehicle to visit a couple of lower mountain ranges -- Firstly on an isolated hill we saw sheets of flowering Celmisia traversii in numerous variations of upper leaf colour and brown tomentum beneath.






On the banks of the access road, a nice daisy Anaphaloides bellidioides and in more shaded spots Ranunculus ensyii.




Then a quick visit to an area of ultrabasic rock where Celmisia spedenii grew --the normal type plant with white flowers and an exciting find ,*a rare form with yellow flowers--something i've never come across before and i believe the first time ever photographed.
*apologies for cross posting this particular pic,(which i've also shown on the SRGC Forum).




Finally ,Leptospermum scoparium can reach 4 or 5 meters in height elsewhere ,however possibly because of the nature of the type of rock it is growing on here ,plants can be very dwarf



The end........

Cheers dave

[Hoy]

On our last day we travelled an hour by vehicle to visit a couple of lower mountain ranges -- Firstly on an isolated hill we saw sheets of flowering Celmisia traversii in numerous variations of upper leaf colour and brown tomentum beneath.
On the banks of the access road, a nice daisy Anaphaloides bellidioides and in more shaded spots Ranunculus ensyii.

Then a quick visit to an area of ultrabasic rock where Celmisia spedenii grew --the normal type plant with white flowers and an exciting find ,*a rare form with yellow flowers--something i've never come across before and i believe the first time ever photgraphed.
*apologies for cross posting this particular pic,(which i've also shown on the SRGC Forum).

Finally ,Leptospermum scoparium can reach 4 or 5 metres in height elsewhere ,however possibly because of the nature of the type of rock it is growing on here ,plants can be very drawf

The end........

Cheers dave

Dave, no need to excuse showing a yellow Celmisia twice! I could have looked at the pics three times as well!
It is a pity New Zealand is so far away or I had already been there. However, it's a must to visit and your pictures haven't lessened the urge to go.

[Booker]

Trond,
The humans in your landscape are much prettier than those we usually see displaying their lower limbs in N.Z.     
Have Toolie's legs appeared on these pages yet ... they have certainly featured heavily (!) on the SRGC Forum for many moons?   

[Hoy]

Trond,
The humans in your landscape are much prettier than those we usually see displaying their lower limbs in N.Z.     
Have Toolie's legs appeared on these pages yet ... they have certainly featured heavily (!) on the SRGC Forum for many moons?   

you know Cliff, I couldn't compete the plants so I had to choose something else. The NZ legs were nothing!