New Zealand field trip September 2009

[David Lyttle]

I will tack these picture on to this tread even though they are not alpine nor is it still winter though it snowed on the local hills this morning. They were taken on a two day field trip to the Catlins South Otago. The main focus of the trip was to look for mushrooms (not many around as it had bee rather warm and dry).

1 Catlins River The track follows the river through predominantly silver beech (Nothofagus manziesii) forest.
2. Another view of the Catlins River.

We stayed overnight at the old light housekeepers house at Nugget point. The light is now automated and the house now belongs to the Department of Conservation. The vegetation on the point is quite interesting with a number of rare plants growing there.
3-10 various view of the lighthouse and the Nuggets


Edit by Maggi: Thought they deserved their own thread, David!

[ranunculus]

Amazing scenery and colours as always, David ... many thanks for posting.

[fermi de Sousa]

Spectacular stuff, David.
I'm glad you youngsters have plenty of energy for tough hiking to show us the results of your labour!
cheers
fermi

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Superb pix of wonderful scenery David ! 
Thanks a lot for showing !

[Paddy Tobin]

Always love these trips of yours, David. Looking forward to more as you are ready.

Paddy

[David Lyttle]

Hi Cliff, Fermi and Luc,

The hiking was not particularly onerous but getting out of a nice warm sleeping bag at 6 am to catch the sunrise was a little more difficult.  As you can see from the photos there are some fairly precipitous cliffs at Nugget Point. On the right of the ridge leading down to the lighthouse the cliffs drop sheer to the ocean. However there is a sealed, fenced path leading to the public viewing platform at the lighthouse. I scrambled around and set up my camera on various points above the cliffs to take the photos.

Here are some more pictures mainly of mushrooms but I will also post some of lichens. I have identified some of them (or at least my colleague has) and these may resemble some northern hemisphere species. Gyromitra tasmanica is similar to Gyromitra esculenta. (esculenta because some people eat it  - I would not as it full of hydrazine). The Hydnum is rather neat- var crocidens is found under Leptospermum/Kunzea and var wellingtonii is found under Nothofagus.

[David Lyttle]

Hi Maggi and Paddy,

No more cavorting on clifftops for scenic shots  - Here are  a few more of small things.

1 A small ascomycete  fungus growing on a dead leaf. I have sat it on my pack to photograph it.
2. Two species of the lichen Cladonia growing on a dead stump One has brown apothecia and the second has red apothecia.
3 Cladonia with brown apothecia.
4 More Cladonia. These lichens are known as Pixie cups  but as pixies were never introduced to this part of the world I am not sure why we should persist in calling them Pixie cups.
5 A lichen called Cladia aggregata. There were about 8 species of lichen on this single stump. Our lichen expert did not venture any further and was still there when we returned about 3 hours later.
6 Another lichen -this time a large foliose one. I am guessing that it is a species of Pseudocyphellaria.
7 A small fern  Ctenopteris heterophylla,
8 A moss covered log with a filmy fern growing on it. I think it is Hymenophyllum demissum
9 Fruiting bodies of a slime mould - I do not know the species

[fermi de Sousa]

I thought when we met you that you would be a fun-guy!
sorry
cheers
fermi

[David Lyttle]

Fermi,

Here is the real fun guy; my colleague David Orlovich,  intrepid mycologist (originally from Sydney).

[David Lyttle]

I have been preparing plants for our local Otago Alpine Garden Group Spring Show. Not exactly my forte but someone has to fill up the show bench. Here are some vascular plants. (no more fungi or lichens).

The Catlins coast has its own endemic Celmisia, Celmisia lindsayi. It forms tight rounded cushions and grows on the sea cliffs.

1-3 Celmisia lindsayi

There is also a large Anisotome growing in the same coastal situations, Anisotome lyallii. It has a wider distribution than Celmisia lindsayi.

4 Anisotome lyallii

5 Clematis paniculata also happy growing in exposed coastal situations.

6,7 Flowers of Melicytus alpinus

8,9 Nertera depressa These plants were growing on the floor of the beech forest.

10 Nertera dichondraefolia This is a second species of Nertera also found on the forest floor. It is distinguished from Nertera depressa by being larger and quite hairy.

[Gerdk]

Pic no 1 is just dreamlike -
+ always appreciate pics of the shrubby 'Violet' - fine flowers!

Gerd

[Armin]

David,
excellent excursion.
Which of the fruits and larger fungis are edible and which are better to spurn?

[David Lyttle]

Hi Gerd,

I am pleased you liked the pictures - I noticed that my plant of Viola cunninghamii collected from about 1700 metres is flowering. If I get a photo i will post it for you.

Armin,

The Hydnum resembles the northern hemisphere species of the same genus and is likely to be edible. The edibility or otherwise of New Zealand fungi is not well known. Some of the familiar Northern Hemisphere species also occur here. Unlike Europe, very few mushrooms are eaten in this country apart from Agaricus campestris.  Most people here regard fungi with suspicion even the edible species such as the boletes which are quite common. The Nertera berries would be edible. Nertera is closely related to the genus Coprosma which has edible berries though they are too small to make it worth while collecting them.

[Armin]

Thanks David for your detailed explanation.

Since the Chernobyl Disaster from April 1986 and radioactive fallout I personal don't consume wild collected edible funghi anymore.
All are regarded suspicious due contamination with Cäsium-137...

[t00lie]

Thanks David for your detailed explanation.

Since the Chernobyl Disaster from April 1986 and radioactive fallout I personal don't consume wild collected edible funghi anymore.
All are regarded suspicious due contamination with Cäsium-137...

Armin

maybe that explains why on over night field trips i've seen Mountain Goat glowing in the dark

Cheers Dave