NZ field trips Jan 2008

[David Lyttle]

I will try again with the pictures- It is getting past my bedtime.

1 On the summit of the Old Man Range. The staggering gait is due to the fact that there is a gentle breeze blowing.

 2 This one may or may not have supernatural significance.
 3 Ranunculus lyallii

Edit from Maggi... I tried resizing David's pix but could only repost three,  so sorry: Don't know what went wrong, it usually works okay! Will repost others in a later post.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Fabulous pictures David - good to see Ian in such a good shape - but then again, he's being well looked after isn't he ? 

And you're right if you're saying Ranunculus lyallii is incomparable - what a stunner !!!! 
I wonder what the comments will be when M. Ranunculus sees it 

Thanks a lot for showing and I hope there's more where this comes from !

[ranunculus]

You are making my heart cry for those glorious mountains and those utterly beautiful buttercups David....so many thanks from a gloomy Lancashire.  Farrer or Forrest Medal winners, every one of them!
Make sure young Ian has a dram or two to keep his strength up please.

Luc...you preceded me by about thirty two and a half seconds!!!

[Maggi Young]

I can tell you all that Ian is having a wonderful time: he was on the phone this morning, really enthused with all that he had seen, huge thanks to David, Dave and John Fitzgerald who took him on this wonderful trip. I do hope you all realise just how much he appreciates your kindness to him. Toolie send me a couple of photos, to prove Ian was still alive....must say, the thought of the lightweight Ian (who weighs about 8 stone ( 112 lbs/51 kilos) on top of a windblown NZ clifftop was worrying me slightly I hadn't thought to warn the two Ds to anchor him by a rope, so they could retrieve the BD like a kite in the event of a strong gust!!
Ian was thrilled to have been given the chance to see so many flowers and tells me the scenery is even better than I had imagined....Thanks again, David and Dave for taking time out of your busy lives ....and congratulations for returning according to schedule... most impressive... mind you, my sister Ann would have most likely hunted you down like dogs if you hadn't!!

[Maggi Young]

This one may or may not have supernatural significance.

Well, to me, it shows that the BD is the light of my life.......but I think it ACTUALLY shows him GLOWING with pleasure from his trip!


By the way, reports just heard on the radio that localised flooding in the Whitworth area has been dismissed as being from a burst water main....the problem is now attributed to an unexplained outpouring of drool....... Cliff, control yourself! 
Ranunculus lyallii  is so lovely.....that's what I call a buttercup!

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Cliff,
I knew I'd have to be quick...

[Maggi Young]

Trying again with David Lyttle's pix resized: click the pix to enlarge....



 Ranunculus buchananii from Mt Burns


Flowers of Ranunculus buchananii



Ranunculus pachyrrhizus from the Old Man Range



 Phyllachne rubra from the Old Man Range

[ranunculus]

Yep....they are still as good Maggi.....

[ian mcenery]

That Ranunculs Lyalii is as spectacular as any plant I can think of - takes your breath away 

This one may or may not have supernatural significance.

Well, to me, it shows that the BD is the light of my life.......but I think it ACTUALLY shows him GLOWING with pleasure from his trip!

Maggi it could also be the thought of being off the leash for a month or the BD has just asked beam me up Scottie 

[t00lie]

Ah ! the plans of mice and men.

I had planned to catch up on a days work before heading away to the NZAGS conference tomorrow however the trip down the Nevis has resulted in some minor repairs being required this morning on the Toyota.

While Davids 4 wheel tank handled the conditions easily the numerous water crossings saw my travel at one stage down to 2 cylinders --not helpful when trying to negotiate a steep incline with minimal braking power because of wet brake pads.

In saying that it was a great 3 days, lots of laughs as well as some serious discussions on the state of the planet etc etc and generally a good flowering season in the areas we visited.

Am running out of time so just a few pics,(i'm sure David hasn't finished his postings) --- however as i plan to be out in the field in Canterbury post conference there are bound to more to follow from moi .

Cheers dave. 

1 Mt Burns--Fiordland.Having parked our vehicle we have made our way up the forested ridge past the smaller Tarns on the left to climb onto the ridge proper to reach about 5000 ft.
 2 Hectorella caespitosa closeup.
3  Dolichoglottis hybrid.
4 Further look deep into Fiordland.

[Maggi Young]

some serious discussions on the state of the planet

Sounds familiar..... so the BD has been pontificating again, has he?
So good of you Guys to take such time and trouble to make this trip with Ian.....I really do know how much he appreciates that.

Terrible news about Gertie!   I wish her well.

[David Lyttle]

Hi Cliff, Maggi, Luc. Ian , Dave
Dave, glad you got home - the drive through the Nevis was a bit of an epic especially that one ford.

Ian,  Ranunculus lyallii has become a bit of photographic cliche as the plant is so spectacular and everyone takes photos of it and it ends up on placemats etc. When I saw the plant Dave, John and Ian were well down the mountain ahead of me  so despite myself I stopped and took the picture. The wind was blowing the plant around a bit but picture came out. It is very hard to walk past such a spectacular plant.

Here are a couple of pictures specially for Cliff - I dont know if they will win any medals. Both Ranunculus buchananii and Ranunculus pachyrrhizus are snow bank plants so I would imagine they are difficult to flower in cultivation. The Ranunculus buchananii on Mt Burns are especially prolific and robust plants possibly due to the introgression of genes from Ranunculus lyallii. Ian found a hybrid in flower and was searching for a species name for it, Unfortunately I had to disappoint him.

[t00lie]

"Terrible news about Gertie! ".

You are up late Maggie.
For those interested 'Gertie 'is the name i have given to the Toyota.

 Maggie---I hate to mention this but we even took a few minutes ,(well actually an hour or two) to discuss *Morris Dancing---you know the bashing of the sticks --waving of the white handkerchiefs and all that !!.

*On reflection i now believe we must have been suffering from cabin fever at that stage.

I have more free time than i thought so rightio--a final few from the Old man Range yesterday.

 

Cheers Dave. 

[David Lyttle]

A few more shots from Mt Burns these are approximately in chronological sequence ascending and descending.

Dave Toole and Ian Y moving up the little spur to the first basin. Borland Saddle where the car was parked is just above and to the left of Ian's head.

Emerging into the first basin. The route goes up the bump in the foreground,drops down again and climbs up the  lip left centre to the prominent hanging valley.

Dave Toole standing by a small tarn.

Looking south down to a large tarn and across to the upper Grebe Valley into the heart of Fiordland

Ian Y stalking a Celmisia.

Above the lip of the hanging valley the route continues up a large stream to a second basin. The next photo is taken here where we have stopped to look at some hybrid Celmisias.

The valley more or less terminates at the skyline and drops steeply into a cirque on the other side. On the other side there is another steep-sided glacial hanging valley with a lake at the bottom of it.

We stopped at this large tarn to eat our lunch. Ranunculus buchananii and Dolichoglottis scorzoneroides are found growing on the boulder slope below the bluffs (centre) and in the little streams running down to the tarn. They are snowbank plants that emerge and flower when the snow melts.

Looking eastwards from the top of Mt Burns across the Waiau Valley to the Takatimu Mountains. The northen side of Mt Burns drops precipitously to the south branch of the Borland Burn which then turns to the north. (this causes a degree of confusion!)

Looking back down to the tarn where we stopped for lunch. The hanging valley with the lake is on the left an the boulder slope is on the right. The peak to the south (centre of picture) is Mt Cleughearn.

Actually we are not descending on this post this will have to wait as will any more plant pictures.

[ranunculus]

Oh boy....oh boy......!