Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => Travel / Places to Visit => Topic started by: Yann on July 29, 2019, 09:57:57 PM
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This summer is warm for almost all Europe, south of France doesn't escape the heat wave.
During my holidays i visited several mountains, here's the last one explored: Mount Ventoux.
I know Maggi is addicted to Tour de France but fortunately for me this year the Mont Ventoux wasn't affected by the race ;D
This mountain is located in the Baronnies region, Vaucluse. Altitude : 1912 m.
From the base to the summit it's said 5 climates can be found in less than 1h.
North side and south side have very different aspects and vegetation.
Most of the plant are very located, somes in really remote areas and good shoes are needed to walk the screes.
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General view of the submit
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Papaver alpinum var. aurantiacum
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Crepis pygmaea
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Iberis nana
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Alyssum flexicaule
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Paronychia kapela
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Campanula alpestris
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Minuartia capillacea
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Eryngium spinalba
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Sedum atratum
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more tomorrow ;D
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Wow! How marvelous to see these pictures - thank you Yann.
Part of my enjoyment of the cycling tours is imagining the plants that are growing there as I watch the tv coverage - certainly the helicopter shots of the scenery is fantastic. Great for "stay at homes" as I am these days.
Even at altitude the plants are remarkable after the heat, are they not? The walking must have been hard work, Yann!
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Yes i was also surprise to found many of them in good state compared to what i saw in the Alps in low altitude.
Tonight my dsl connexion is so slow i can't upload almost nothing.
Sedum anopetalum
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Aquilegia reuteri
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Euphorbia seguieriana
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Galium pusillum
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Even at altitude the plants are remarkable after the heat, are they not? The walking must have been hard work, Yann!
You just need good shoes ;) these ones are special for screes approach i usually use them in moraine when approaching glacier.
very rigid sole and protection for rocks.
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Linaria supina, the last one i found with flowers. There it usually starts to bloom mid june.
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Phyteuma charmelii, typical petiolate leaves with long limb and dentate. This species likes very hot spots.
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Thymus serpyllum
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Sedum dasyphyllum
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Erigeron glabratus (the leaves are ciliated on the edges and glabrous, stem is glabrous)
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Silene vallesia was burnt but i could find a scree full of Silene vulgaris subsp. prostrata
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Oxytropis amethystea
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I really do appreciate seeing the whole plant and not just the flower. Here and on other posts you make on other threads, this is what really helps the learning experience for us. Thank you.
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I really do appreciate seeing the whole plant and not just the flower. Here and on other posts you make on other threads, this is what really helps the learning experience for us. Thank you.
I could not agree more !
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I really do appreciate seeing the whole plant and not just the flower. Here and on other posts you make on other threads, this is what really helps the learning experience for us. Thank you.
Rick thank you, flower is just a part of the plant, to identify we need leaf, roots, stems, without them we won't be able to put a name on a plant ;D I usually measure stem, branch, ombel and note the photo number inside my smartphone. Once at home it's very usefull.
I mostly use Flora gallica and Flora Med to ID plants of my country and the south surroundings ones (GR, IT, etc)
Using translator: http://abiris.snv.jussieu.fr/flore/herbier.php (http://abiris.snv.jussieu.fr/flore/herbier.php) or by key http://abiris.snv.jussieu.fr/flore/flore.php (http://abiris.snv.jussieu.fr/flore/flore.php)
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Solidago virgaurea subsp. minuta
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Carduus defloratus subsp. carlinifolius
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Biscutella brevicaulis
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Erysimum jugicola
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I usually measure stem, branch, umbel and note the photo number inside my smartphone. Once at home it's very useful.
I often bring the Flora book(s) with me on hikes, but usually don't take the time to use them(!) When I come across a plant I want to identify, I too, take pics of leaves, stem, etc. Yes, they always prove useful, and sometimes I wish I had measured something (because I almost never do). Especially, I look to see what characteristics the flora key uses to separate species. The camera is definitely your friend when you need to know what shape a trichome is !!!
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Solidago virgaurea subsp. minuta
I have that one! (I think) Bought it here as Solidago virgaurea ssp. alpestris var. minutissima
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yes it was often ID as ssp alpestris, but your plant is the right one!
Sambucus ebulus, the fragrance of this species is bewitching...not the one of its stems (fetid smell)
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Campanula scheuchzeri subsp. scheuchzeri
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Adenostyles alpina
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Linaria striata
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Laserpitium gallicum
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Botrychium lunaria in a desert
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Centranthus angustifolius, this species is characterized by its spurs and long internodes.
Butterfly is the well known Iphiclides podalirius, Flambé in french.
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Koeleria vallesiana
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Phyteuma orbiculare and Anchusa italica
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Dianthus subacaulis, swinging in the wind i had some trouble to focus with the camera
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Well i hope this post gives you an idea of the flora growing on that mount, i selected photos the endemics and rare ones among more than 1100 species. Fauna is also impressive.
Mt Ventoux is a real biogeographic island that can be visited year round, even during winter at lower parts.
For those without a car you can take a 2€ bus in Malaucène in the early morning, the driver will drop you near the submit and return trip is late in the evening, perfect for botanizing and eating in front of the sunset ;)
There's also a bus from Orange TGV train station to Vaison La Romaine and then another bus to Malaucène, for less than 5€.
Our next travel in few weeks.... 8)
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Interesting place Yann and beautiful, detailed pictures. It takes a lot of time to prepare the plates.
It is certainly very handy to have a good road going so high to the top!
I wonder why the mountain is so bare, at least from what I see in your pictures; why no trees or shrubs even if not a very high altitude?
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for several centuries trees were cut to produce boats and in 1250 a lord gave the liberty to the inhabitants to enjoy full ownership of the mountainside and meadows at the foot of Mount, which is it surprising at this period.
The manage is done, the locals shaved trees to create meadows for the sheeps and tons of wood were used to produce charcoal later in the 17th century.
The inaccessible zones of the ubac stayed with their trees and in 1858 it was decided to reforest the adret, the mayor of the time was already aware of ecological damage and mudslides.
Beech and pinus were used as local species but Cedrus atlantica was used massively. They sown seeds sourced in Algeria on a 60ha surface, now it covers more than 2000 hectares.
The summit wasn't reforested because of significant erosion, that's the reason why Juniperus are the only shrubs found in screes.
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Interesting place Yann and beautiful, detailed pictures. It takes a lot of time to prepare the plates.
Not really, i still use Picasa to create collage, the task consuming time is working with raw photos.
I usually keep 10-15% of the photos extracted from the sd card.
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AH, OK it makes sense then, and I really saw just summit pictures.
I am glad that they made reforestation efforts.