Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => Alpines => Topic started by: David Lyttle on November 07, 2009, 10:37:13 AM
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The last time I went out it rained all the time so no photos. I had better luck today though there was a fairly strong cold southerly blowing on the top of the hill above the bush. We walked up Swampy Spur on a newly made track. It was a bit disappointing to see the mess that had been made in the forest with the trees cut back and the side of the track raw and unvegetated. It will soften eventually when things grow back.
Picture 1,2,3 show general views of the open tops above the forest. The vegetation is a mixture of tussock (mainly red tussock Chionochloa rubra though in the drier areas it is replaced by Chionochloa rigida) Shrubs are Dracophyllum longifolium, various Coprosma species, Griselinia littoralis, Leptospermum scoparium, Pseudopanax colensoi, Olearia ilicifolia. Other common plants are Phormium tenax, Astelia nervosa and Aciphylla scott-thomsonii. There is gorse in many places and wildling Pinus radiata that should not be there.
Picture 4 and 5 are views to the north; 4 shows a group of volcanic hills and 5 is looking up the coast.
Now some plants
Anemone tenuicaulis
Melicytus aff flexuosus. This is not the true species but is a stable hybrid. We found five plants only in one spot. There is another different Melicytus species present that is quite common. The two species differ in appearance: aff flexuosus has very few leaves and the other is quite leafy. The flowers are quite different as well.
Cyathea smithii This a common tree fern in the area and is distinguished from Cyathea dealbata by its skirt of dead fronds.
Tmesipteris tannensis This a primitive plant allied to ferns. It may be considered a living fossil. It is quite common in the area. I was able to get a good picture of it because the forest had been opened up by the construction of the new track
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David,
Thank you for taking us with you on your trips - always something new! And what a landscape!
Is there a chance that Anemone tenuicaulis is hardy in northern Europe?
Gerd
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Good to have your report on your most recent outing, David. Always a pleasure I look forward to.
Paddy
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Wonderful landscapes, David, and the Cyathea smithii tree fern and Tmesipteris tannensis are wonderful specimens (pronouncing the name is another issue!) Would like to know more about the 'living fossil'.
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Nice shots David, beautiful weather up here today so we jumped in the car and headed up Mt Hutt.
Got nearly to the top and got a flat tyre. My good wife changed the tyre while my daughter and I went for a walk around the Raoulia eximia patch. Some nice Ranunculus flowers out, unfortunately the grass hoppers had been feasting on them, so there wasn't many perfect flowers left, not as spectacular as Mt Somers patches last month. Last photo I think is Leptinella pyrenthrifolia? Still a foot of snow on the higher slopes, so nothing to see there for a few weeks yet.
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Could someone please identify this for me, also from Mt Hutt today. Cheers.
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Last photo I think is Leptinella pyrenthrifolia?
This is a lovely plant creeping through the crevices - is it only found in NZ Doug?
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Gerd and Paddy,
Always a pleasure to share my trips with you; Gerd, I do not think the Anemone would be difficult to grow. It is quite small and is easy to overlook. Some forms have red flowers.
Robin, The Tmespteris is usually pronounced mesipteris; the T is silent. The plant is an epiphyte and does not have true roots. It is usually found growing on the trunks of trees or tree ferns. There are four species found in New Zealand. It is found in dampish forests and is often quite common.
Doug , your plant in pic DSC00209 is Chionohebe pulvinaris. It is similar to Chionohebe thomsonii the species most commonly found in Otago. The whole genus has been recently revised and subsumed into Veronica. You can have a bob both ways and call them snow hebes.
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What goes around comes around? Veronica=Hebe=Chionohebe=Veronica. I guess some botanists were kept in employment to achieve this. ???
I've never seen Anemone tenuicaulis in bloom before. It's rather cute.
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I managed a visit down the coast to the new loop track the Dept of Conservation have formed through a wetland area surrounding Waituna Lagoon .
As the Otago Alpine Group are planning to visit this area next month my trip was primary a reconnaissance to find out if there were alpines to be seen and to assess the state of the track.
The track just under 5 ks in length is still to be completed ,(although i managed to walk around it),and travels mostly through thick Leptosperum scoparium ,(manuka --tea tree), scrub with views of various tarns and a number of Dracophyllum longifolium in flower.
Unfortunately the 'manuka' is an aggressive colonizer and any open spaces suitable for alpines at sea level are being 'gobbled' up.
Interestingly outside the reserve across the road is farm land where i understand the owner previously regularly burnt off the tea tree ,so there are wonderful alpine cushions and plants.Hopefully they will be flowering in a couple of weeks during our field trip.
Just a few pics following of the wetland .
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Final four.
Cheers Dave.
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My goodness, Dave, the first photograph in your last batch certainly shows how invasive the leptospermum is - amazing. This is a different environment to your normal mountain treks, interesting.
Paddy
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Paddy
The manuka is an untidy shrub not helped by it getting black soot,(the after effects of a scale insect).(I'm not sure whether the numerous cultivars of this plant get it ??), however it has it's place as manuka honey is yummy :P :P and has a big following here and overseas.
At the back of our bush property ,it ,(barely now),exists growing on an old ancient sand dune .Over the 16 years we have lived here the small patch has dwindled somewhat as the larger evergreen forest trees shade it out.
It is a very dense wood ---i have used some fallen limbs as fence railings --you have to drill holes as trying to hammer results in bent nails..... >:(
Cheers Dave.
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Yes, unfortunately, the modern cultivars DO get the scale insects and the resultant black mould. You have to spray insecticide before the advent of the scales, otherwise it's too late to prevent the mould.
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Hi Dave,
Nice to see that DOC has built us a new track for when we come down. The old style boardwalk has been superseded by these gravel footpaths. They have just built a new one up to Swampy Spur from Leith Saddle. We will be able to leave the gumboots at home.
Just back from the Blue Mountains today (or yesterday as it is now). Not a lot flowering but I took some pictures which I will post at some stage.
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The Manuka grows perfectly well here with never a sign of black mould; good garden plants here.
Paddy
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Lucky you Paddy. I've cut out a couple recently. Saw a new one in a garden centre the other day and reluctantly left it there, expecting the worst.
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Fabulous photos that you show us in this thread as in precedings.
But I will ask you from my curiosity, do you call on the southern hemisphere this season, that we have now autumn too or spring? I didn't know if I don't make a fool of me, but I shall risk.
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It is now late spring here Ewelina, as it is late autumn in the northern hemisphere. We have Christmas Day in high summer, just 3 or 4 days after the longest day, or summer solstice. Don't feel foolish about asking. We in the SH are used to thinking of the difference all the time because most of the garden books we read mention spring as April, May and we have to think, "oh yes, that's October, November here"
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Thank you Lesley for explanation. In this case it's better to use the names of months.
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Here is my promised posting;
First some views of cushion bog and tarns. The cushion plants grow over a deep layer of peat which is soaked with water. The plants are quite firm and you can walk on then.
However the ground quakes when you move over it.
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Here is my promised posting;
First some views of cushion bog and tarns. The cushion plants grow over a deep layer of peat which is soaked with water. The plants are quite firm and you can walk on then.
However the ground quakes when you move over it.
stunning landscape!
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And, I suppose, when you get too far out from the edge, you suddenly break through and fall in up to your hip... ? The southern hemisphere version of muskeg, I imagine!
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And, I suppose, when you get too far out from the edge, you suddenly break through and fall in up to your hip... ? The southern hemisphere version of muskeg, I imagine!
lol--i was wondering about that too...
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And, I suppose, when you get too far out from the edge, you suddenly break through and fall in up to your hip... ? The southern hemisphere version of muskeg, I imagine!
The cushions are quite firm though I would not like to fall into a tarn. The water is very deep and stained because of the peat. One of the ladies in the party stepped in a soft spot( not on the cushion bog but on a seep further down the hill) and needed assistance to extricate her foot. Not exactly Canadian muskeg (=30% water, 30% vegetation and 30% mosquitoes)
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The cushions are quite firm though I would not like to fall into a tarn. The water is very deep and stained because of the peat. One of the ladies in the party stepped in a soft spot( not on the cushion bog but on a seep further down the hill) and needed assistance to extricate her foot. Not exactly Canadian muskeg (=30% water, 30% vegetation and 30% mosquitoes)
at least!!
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The cushion bog vegetation is an amazing mixture of vascular plants,mosses and lichens all different colours and textures.
1. General view The shrub in the foreground is Dracophyllum longifolium (Ericaceae formerly Epacridaceae but Epacridaceae is nested within the Ericaceae). The yellow-green shrubs on the other side of the tarn are bog pine (Halocarpus bidwillii). The big green cushions in the foreground are Donatia novae-zelandiae with Dracophyllum prostratum and Pentachondra pumila straggling through them. The white is the lichen Thamnolia vermicularis. The orange cushions are a moss Racomitrium as are some of the light green cushions.
2. A similar view of the same tarn.
3,4,5 An area where the mosses and lichens are overgrowing the vascular cushion plants.
6 The moss Racomitrium
7 Close up of the moss Racomitrium covered with silver hairs. It is growing on a Donatia cushion with a second moss and Gaultheria macrostigma.
8. Pentachodra pumila growing in a Donatia cushion. There are anumber of small plants of Celmisia sessiliflora (grey-green tufts), Gaultheria macrostigma and a small gentian (lower right corner)
9 Another Donatia cushion with Pentachondra pumila. The is a small yellow-green cushion of Phyllachne colensoi growing within the Donatia (left, bottom third)
10 A cushion garden There are five species of vascular plants in the picture.
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Fascinating pics of a strange part of the world -
are low temperatures all year round the limiting factor for a less stunted flora (besides soil conditions)?
Gerd
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such a beautiful flora! the more i see of this, the more i like it....
i guess this is still spring? does it change much in summer--flowers on the cushions, green in the big grass clumps/background shrubs?
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David,
An amazing place. It reminds me, though far more beautiful, of my neighbour's slurry pit - a swimming pool size pit of liquid manure which develops a crust on which grass and various plants will become established. Dogs can run safely across this but it would be foolhardy of any person to do so.
Paddy
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I wasn't on this trip with David but on a previous one, DID fall into the bog and of course everyone had a good laugh - until they realized I couldn't get out on my own and was beginning to sink! One of the more elderly gentlmen of the party came to my rescue eventually and I crawled out over raincoats laid on the surface. Quite frightening for a few minutes.
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If you are tempted with your photos in this and previous threads to visit NZ, write me, if it's possible to visit your islands in (your) winter - July, August and to be glad.
What is the weather then?
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Our winter (June/July and perhaps early August), are much less severe than yours Ewelina but even so, you couldn't visit the mountains at that time, as they have snow cover. July is the coldest month and August I like to think of as spring as there are so many crocuses out, snowdrops, bulbous irises etc.
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you couldn't visit the mountains at that time, as they have snow cover.
What height is it snow from? Is it in the mountain's valleys too?
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It can be, but not necessarily. We tend to get occasional snow storms which cover everything including farmland and roads but they may only last a few days or a week. Some areas will be covered all through winter and others will melt. There is still a little snow in many areas where David will visit to look at plants but the higher mountains are still covered on their tops.
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I am going to have to reply to some of the questions raised in bits;
Gerd,
The peat bogs develop under conditions of low temperature ( preventing microbial decomposition of the dead vegetation) and lots of moisture. These conditions are quite prevalent in the lower part of the South Island especially in the alpine zone. Down where Dave Toole lives in Invercargill these peat bogs occur at sea level and the pictures he posted earlier in the thread are of one such bog. However nothing remains static and the Awarua Bog is being taken over by shrubby vegetation( Leptospermum, Dracophyllum and Phormium tenax) to the detriment of the cushion plants. It is hard to say what precisely controls the balance between cushion plants, tussock grassland and shrubby vegetation - possibly the shrubs and tussock do not like being waterlogged. The cushion plants avoid waterlogging by rooting into the dead material at the centre of the cushion where there is better drainage and as do all the other little plants the grow in the larger cushions. Many of these plants are not restricted to peat bogs and grow in other moist situations.
Cohan,
It is early spring and very few plants have flowered. There is still the odd dump of snow as the southerly fronts come through though the bulk of the winter snow is gone. The colour of the tussocks and background shrubs does not change much throughout the year.
Paddy ,
Its a bit more solid then a slurry pit. The peat tends to compact and act as a giant sponge. In some places it has eroded away exposing the branches of long dead trees and shrubs. ( Halocarpus and Dracophyllum) In some places you can find little piles of quartz pebles which are moa gizzard stones.
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David,
Thank you for explanation!
Gerd
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Moa gizzard stones! How amazing!
Not exactly Canadian muskeg (=30% water, 30% vegetation and 30% mosquitoes)
It's actually possible to find muskeg without the mosquitoes in the odd place in the foothills here...
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Here is the last batch of picture from the Blue Mountains.
1. view looking north-east towards the Lammerlaw Range which is the flat-topped plateau in the distance.
2. Bog pine (Halocarpus bidwillii) on the margin of a small tarn.
3 Celmisia sessiliflora cushion
4 Celmisia sessiliflora cushion with the lichen Thamnolia vermicularis
5. Dracophyllum politum one of the several species of Dracophyllum that occur here. It hybridises with Dracophyllum prostratum making it difficult to identify individual plants.
6. Lepidothamnus laxifolius, a small creeping conifer.
7. Phyllachne colensoi in flower.
8. Shrubland mainly Dracophyllum longifolium with Chionochloa rigida tussock.
9,10 Red coloured variant of Dracophyllum longifolium
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David,
At risk of repeating myself, these are wonderful sights; extraordinary plants for us to see and it is a great thrill to see them even if not in person (and probably will never see them in person!).
Many thanks for your postings; have always enjoyed them very much; do continue.
Paddy
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These images of "another world" never cease to amaze me David !!!!
Goodness me, the sight of that Celmisia in bloom must be breathtaking !
Thanks a lot for posting !
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Hi Luc and Paddy,
I am pleased you enjoyed the pictures; these cushion bogs are quite remarkable when you think about them. I had a discussion with Alan Mark as to whether they were unique to the region but it seem they are not. It seems they occur in Terra del Fuego (a bit closer to home, Paddy) and probably Tasmania. Donatia novae-zelandiae also occurs in Tasmania as does Phyllachne colensoi and another species, Donatia fascicularis, is found in South America. On this visit there was very little flowering so I focused on taking pictures of the plant cushions and some of the non-vascular plants that are a feature of these bogs.
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They certainly occur in the Mt Field National Park in Tasmania. There are some board walks across some areas which makes traversing relatively easy. The Park is, to a New Zealander, incredibly like being at home.
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"It seems they occur in Terra del Fuego (a bit closer to home, Paddy)"
Oh, I must make a quick run down before lunch!
No, your photographs are as close as I am going to come to this environment.
Paddy