Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

General Subjects => Travel / Places to Visit => Topic started by: Kees Jan on January 30, 2012, 10:54:28 PM

Title: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Kees Jan on January 30, 2012, 10:54:28 PM
I'm attaching some pics of the first excursion of a botanical tour to the Argentinian provinces Neuquen and Mendoza earlier this month. The tour was organised by Ger van den Beuken, Marcela Ferrera was our botanical guide.

South America is home to some wonderful grasses. Here are Stipa neaei and Stipa humilis. The cactus is probably Pterocactus australis, a very small species. The pink-flowering plant is Pleurophora patagonica, a natural bonsai in this particular case, but normally a mat-forming plant. All these pics are from Laguna Blanca NP, Neuquen.
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Brian Ellis on January 31, 2012, 10:18:00 AM
Very interesting to see, presumably it is so windy it has caused the Pleurophora patagonica to be bonsai?
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Kees Jan on January 31, 2012, 10:30:13 PM
It could be the wind, but I'm not quite sure what happened there. Here are two species in Verbenaceae, again photographed near Laguna Blanca (Neuquen Province, northern Patagonia): Junellia micrantha (first two pics) and Junellia succulentifolia.
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: fermi de Sousa on February 01, 2012, 08:18:25 AM
Very interesting to see, presumably it is so windy it has caused the Pleurophora patagonica to be bonsai?
I thought it looked like a very intriguing Ikebana arrangement! ;D
Looking forwards to more pics, Kees!
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Kees Jan on February 02, 2012, 09:25:35 PM
Like quite a few other Patagonian plants, including several rosulate Viola species of the 'volcanica' group, the rare Pterocactus araucanus has the same colour as the volcanic sand it grows in.... There must be an evolutionary reason of some sort.
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Ezeiza on February 03, 2012, 12:52:57 AM
Kees, I imagine everyone have GPS readings for these species' locations.
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Martin Tversted on February 03, 2012, 12:41:52 PM
Thanks for sharing photos. Nice to see some southern cacti in habitat. I grow various Austrocactus, Maihuenia, Maihueniopsis and Pterocactus from Neuquen and Mendoza in the unheated greenhouse here in Denmark. Too few people know them among alpine plants growers.

Martin
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Kees Jan on February 03, 2012, 05:03:21 PM
Alberto,

I hope not... GPS data are not visible on my pics as far as I know, I just checked the EXIF info....

KJ

Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Ezeiza on February 03, 2012, 06:54:55 PM
Thanks, Kees.
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Kees Jan on February 04, 2012, 09:38:54 PM
Here are some nice plants, photographed on our second day in the field in Neuquen province:

Alstroemeria aurea
Araucaria araucana
Perezia recurvata
Senecio aff. triodon

I'm uploading the final pics of our second day in the field to my Neuquen Province gallery, which is found at www.keesjan.smugmug.com under 'Botanical Trips', 'North and South America'. Any corrections can easily be made using the comment button on my website and would be much appreciated.
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Gerdk on February 05, 2012, 10:05:45 AM
Thank you, Kees Jan - enjoyed your pics a lot and I am hoping for more!

Gerd
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Kees Jan on February 05, 2012, 01:08:01 PM
Here are some more. First two Apiaceae: Mulinum leptacanthum (note the winged fruits, a feature of Mulinum) and the unusual Azorella ameghinoi.

Montiopsis umbellata
Montiopsis gayana (probably)
Rhodophiala mendocina
Viola columnaris
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Kees Jan on February 06, 2012, 08:23:56 PM
Here is Perezia pilifera in a rather unusual colour form. P. pilifera is one of the most beautiful Perezia's...
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Lesley Cox on February 06, 2012, 09:30:39 PM
Well it's certainly an unusual colour form on my screen which has now gone permanently yellow. It was intermittant until the last day or two. I'll have to bite the bullet and get another screen. Roger thinks he can find a second hand one to do the trick. ???
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Maggi Young on February 06, 2012, 09:49:12 PM
It is a particularly nice creamy yellow on my screen too!  :D Very pretty plant.
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Kees Jan on February 07, 2012, 08:24:38 PM
Here is another pretty plant: Ourisia microphylla
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Maggi Young on February 07, 2012, 08:29:00 PM
Not only pretty, KJ... it looks like a perfect flower arrangement on the rock.
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Lesley Cox on February 07, 2012, 11:49:15 PM
I received in my seed allotment, O. m. 'Hollowcliffe.' does anyone know how or even if, this differs from the "usual" O. microphylla?
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Dionysia on February 08, 2012, 01:35:02 PM
Hello Lesley. I donated the seed although so might others of course. This form was originally introduced by Flores and Watson in 2001. They collected it from sheltered, cool volcanic rock faces between 1000m and 2000m in Nequen Province. They selected it because the flowers were slightly bigger at 1.5cm but especially because the flowers were a 'rich, intense colour. A sort of glowing pinky lilac, much finer than anything we have seen before'. When the original seed which I bought flowered, the seedlings were uniformly as described. Second and subsequent generations have retained these characteristics even though I was initially growing it alongside the original form. The seedlings are initially tiny so I find it best to sow fairly thinly to avoid the need to prick out to soon. Like all South American Ourisias it is a martyr to botrytis, much more so than Dionysias but paradoxically the compost must never dry out and during summer it needs to be kept very damp. I would recommend a gritty but moisture retentive acid mix. Also easily raised from cuttings and can be crossed with polyantha. Martin and Anna Sheader raised their stunning x bitternensis hybrids in this way and I have raised a few myself. Good luck.  Paul Ranson
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Jozef Lemmens on February 08, 2012, 06:31:10 PM
Hi Paul,
Can you tell something about your way of handling Ourisias when they are in flower?
I am able to keep my plants going on and even getting in full bloom (with lots of flowers), but than the troubles start when flowers are wilting. I always loose a big part of my plants. What’s the secret.
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Maggi Young on February 08, 2012, 08:02:58 PM

A reminder that as well as Kees Jan's "smugmug" link, to see more of his photos, there are also more from K-J and from Ger van den Beuken, in the flemish Forum: http://www.vrvforum.be/forum/index.php?topic=641.0
 8)
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Kees Jan on February 08, 2012, 08:38:16 PM
And I'm going to upload 176 pics from the Dolmuyo Volcano area at
http://keesjan.smugmug.com/Botanical-trips/North-and-South-America/Neuquen-January-2012-Argentina/

It will take a few ours, but this will include some great plants including flowering Viola atropurpurea. I will probably upload some of them to this thread tomorrow...
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Maggi Young on February 08, 2012, 08:45:55 PM
A treat in store for us, K-J  8)
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Lesley Cox on February 08, 2012, 09:00:31 PM
Thanks for that information Paul. I still have a tiny seedling from last year's list and have grown O. microphylla maybe 3 times before, to the "lots of flowers" stage that Josef mentions, then, like his, sections of the plant die back for no reason that I can see. No obvious botrytis but that's not to say it isn't there. Maybe a plant to try with a dose of trichoderma in the compost? The compost is perpetually damp, humusy and gritty. I've also had polyantha to flowering but then lost that one as well. I'd dearly LOVE to have a try with the Sheader hybrids They look absolutely stunning. Are they or yours fertile?
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Kees Jan on February 08, 2012, 11:06:35 PM
Two Asteraceae and a Viola for you to enjoy...

First one of the most beautiful alpines: Chaetanthera villosa :D

A RED Nassauvia of some sort. Possibly N. revoluta.

Viola atropurpurea
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Dionysia on February 09, 2012, 12:02:44 PM
Lesley/Jef. Although I've had some success with Ourisias there are better growers, particularly Martin and Anna. I find that one of the most important requirements is to snip off each flower as soon as it is going over as they quickly go soggy. If they fall off then pick them up with tweezers and also snip off the stems from which they came as the embryonic capsule can also go soggy. Make sure you delve into the crown of the plant as they quickly rot and botrytis sets in. If you want seed it is only necessary to leave a couple of capsules near the edge (but monitor them) as they set copious, dust like seed. If there are no more buds forming on a shoot I trim back to a side shoot. In the autumn when flowering is finishing I cut back to perhaps 3cm from the crown. Also remove any limp shoots immediately. The plants quickly go woody in the centre, I guess it's just a sign of age, I think 4-5 years is as much as most people can hope for. I've had plants with a main stem approaching 1cm in diameter but even this is only after that period. Although they are clearly very hardy in the wild, I and others found they suffered particularly in the very cold period in early 2011. They come from very windy places so the key must be air circulation although my 24x7 fans clearly didn't compensate then. I have also had two seedlings in a totally unprotected trough for two years but they have remained tiny and have not flowered.
As regards hybrids, the original f1 hybrids were created by Martin and Anna by using microphylla as the seed parent and polyantha as the pollen parent, possibly the Cliftonville Scarlet clone which has bigger, brighter flowers. The seedlings were pretty uniformly deep pink with pale yellow guidelines and they named the most vigorous one Cliftonville Roset and used it to raise f2 seedlings in a range of colours in the yellow to red spectrum. I tried the same cross in 2007 but using microphylla alba but all three seedlings which germinated were indistinguishable from Cliftonville Roset. I know Martin and Anna have also now raised f3 hybrids although I'm not aware whether any have been distributed. They have also raised hybrids with Ourisia serpyllifolia but I believe these were disappointing, rather like that species itself. Although I spend most of my time with my Dionysias I do currently have two small f3 seedlings ex Cliftonville Ling, a reddish purple clone, so I await their flowering with interest.
PS Jef I hope you are enjoying your retirement.
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Kees Jan on February 09, 2012, 05:14:39 PM
Chuquiraga straminea
Oxalis adenophylla
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Lesley Cox on February 09, 2012, 10:59:53 PM
Thanks for that information Paul. It all sounds good and I'll print it I think, against a future opportunity for seed raising. :)
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Kees Jan on February 10, 2012, 06:32:18 AM
Cistanthe picta, Leucheria aff. acaulis and Chaetanthera chilensis
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Jozef Lemmens on February 10, 2012, 10:03:38 AM
Thanks for the information Paul. My retirement causes still a strange feeling. I am waiting for spring.
Kees Jan, thanks for the beautiful pictures.
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Maggi Young on February 10, 2012, 10:39:56 AM
Thanks for the information Paul. My retirement causes still a strange feeling. I am waiting for spring.
Kees Jan, thanks for the beautiful pictures.
Jef, your retirement causes good feelings, especially when you have time to get involved in this :
http://www.nature-museum.net/album/showalbum.aspx?albumid=96238a94-ce4a-418f-81f2-d8c3a990c7f8
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: gervandenbeuken on February 10, 2012, 02:18:20 PM
As organizer of this very spectacular Mendoza 2012 tour I think it my duty also to post some pictures. Some of the highlights are,
Calandrinia caespitosa, Rhodophiala rhodolirion, Viola aff. purpurea, Azorella monantha, Nassauvia pinnigera.
Hopefully you all enjoy the pictures.
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: gervandenbeuken on February 10, 2012, 02:39:19 PM
Some more are,
Caiophora coronata, Calceolaria pinnifolia, Chaetanthera spathulifolia 2x, Perezia pilifera and Viola philippii.
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: TheOnionMan on February 10, 2012, 11:17:18 PM
Truly exquisite, every one of them!  Chaetanthera spathulata is surely the most remarkable alpine daisy ever.  My eyes are stinging looking at the lethal loveliness of Caiophora coronata :o :o
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Maren on February 11, 2012, 09:45:33 AM
Mark, I agree with you.

Ger, is it possible to obtain seed from this exquisite plant?
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: gervandenbeuken on February 11, 2012, 10:20:49 AM
I'm sorry Mark, as you could see the plants were in flower and we had no chance to collect any seeds of this sp.
It would be great if we could grow such a species in our climate.
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Martin Tversted on February 11, 2012, 01:54:56 PM
I'm sorry Mark, as you could see the plants were in flower and we had no chance to collect any seeds of this sp.
It would be great if we could grow such a species in our climate.

As mentioned I grow some of the cacti species in the unheated greenhouse and they are perfectly hardy when kept dry during the winter months. Many other species from down there should be equally hardy. But they most likely will fail outside.

Martin
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Natalia on February 11, 2012, 02:43:45 PM
Magnificent photos!
Thank you very much! :)
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Kees Jan on February 12, 2012, 09:33:11 PM
My Neuquen photogallery is complete now: http://keesjan.smugmug.com/Botanical-trips/North-and-South-America/Neuquen-January-2012-Argentina/

Here are some of the highlights of our last excursion, near Domuyo Volcano

Astragalus vesiculosus
Senecio crithmoides?
Caltha sagittata
Discaria nana
Hypochaeris incana in a yellow form
Hypochaeris incana in a cream form
Montiopsis andicola
Nassauvia planifolia
Olsynium phillippii
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Lori S. on February 12, 2012, 11:27:37 PM
What absolutely amazing plants!  Thank you very much for posting them, Kees Jan and Ger.
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Kees Jan on February 19, 2012, 10:29:32 AM
I just finished uploading the pics from our first full day plant excursion in Mendoza at

http://keesjan.smugmug.com/Botanical-trips/North-and-South-America/Mendoza-Argentina-January-2012/

All these pics are from what I call the Las Lenas area, an excursion from Los Molles.

Here are some of the highlights, plant names are in the file names... The Gentianella is my favourite... I'm nearly half way our trip now. Selecting and labelling pics seems to be more time-consuming than taking the actual pictures!'

I'm not quite sure about the Hypochaeris, perhaps it is H. incana...


Adesmia aff. corymbosa.jpg
Anagallis alternifolia.jpg
Astragalus aff. chubutensis.jpg
Azorella trifurcata.jpg
Chimango caracara (Milvaga chimango).jpg
Cortaderia araucana.jpg
Gentianella otonnis.jpg
Gentianella otonnis 2.jpg
Habitat of Mulinum valentinii.jpg
Hypochaeris montana.jpg
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Kees Jan on February 19, 2012, 10:35:35 AM
Here are some more. The Laretia seems to be quite local, during our three days in the Las Lenas area I only found two plants...


Junellia aff. ulicina.jpg
Junellia spathulata.jpg
Laretia acaulis.jpg
Laretia acaulis1.jpg
Laretia acaulis 2.jpg
Laretia acaulis and hairy form of Azorella monantha.jpg
Loasa aff. ilicifolia.jpg
Malesherbia liriana var. subglabrifolia.jpg
Rhodophiala rhodolirion.jpg
Rhodophiala rhodoliron 1.jpg
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Lesley Cox on February 19, 2012, 08:26:51 PM
What an amazing Flora South America has, and especially the alpine flora of the more southerly countries. I really love the Anagallis, as I do Anagallis tenella, the UK native which likes me, I'm happy to say.
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Kees Jan on February 24, 2012, 07:06:14 PM
This is Senecio subdiscoides, photographed on January 12th 2012. I'm uploading the final pics from this particular day to my website now.
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: ranunculus on February 24, 2012, 08:07:31 PM
This is a truly magnificent topic with some brilliant photographs.  Many thanks to you all.
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: ashley on February 24, 2012, 08:25:30 PM
What wonderful plants, landscapes and photographs. 
Many thanks for sharing them with us Kees Jan and Ger.
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Olga Bondareva on February 25, 2012, 05:09:35 AM
Kees, thank you very much for the outstanding photo of incredible plants from another side of the earth!
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: cohan on February 26, 2012, 07:33:43 AM
Beautiful flora in this region! So many wonders, but I especially find myself drawn to the many wonderful Asteraceae and Portulacaceae!
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Hoy on February 26, 2012, 08:50:14 AM
As organizer of this very spectacular Mendoza 2012 tour I think it my duty also to post some pictures. Some of the highlights are,
Calandrinia caespitosa, Rhodophiala rhodolirion, Viola aff. purpurea, Azorella monantha, Nassauvia pinnigera.
Hopefully you all enjoy the pictures.
Thank you Kees and Ger.
When do you plan the next tour?  8)
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Kees Jan on February 26, 2012, 06:30:53 PM
Most of my my pictures from this botanical trip are on my website now. I've made 3 photographic galleries: Neuquen 2012, Mendoza Southern part (2012) and Mendoza Laguna del Diamante and further north - the last one is not complete yet.

I have also divided a 2010 trip to Patagonia into three galleries now: Rio Negro, Neuquen (2010) and 'Around the city of Neuquen'.

All these can now be found at http://keesjan.smugmug.com/Botanical-trips/North-and-South-America. I'm using the website as an online back-up of my pictures. In time many more pictures will be hidden though, since there is a huge number of pictures now, but selecting them is very time consuming process.
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: gervandenbeuken on February 26, 2012, 09:42:57 PM
As organizer of this very spectacular Mendoza 2012 tour I think it my duty also to post some pictures. Some of the highlights are,
Calandrinia caespitosa, Rhodophiala rhodolirion, Viola aff. purpurea, Azorella monantha, Nassauvia pinnigera.
Hopefully you all enjoy the pictures.
Thank you Kees and Ger.
When do you plan the next tour?  8)
Our next tour to Chile is planned in January 2013. However this tour is complete now.
For december 2013 I have planned again a trip to S. Patagonia.
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Gerdk on February 27, 2012, 10:38:33 AM
Most of my my pictures from this botanical trip are on my website now. I've made 3 photographic galleries: Neuquen 2012, Mendoza Southern part (2012) and Mendoza Laguna del Diamante and further north - the last one is not complete yet.

I have also divided a 2010 trip to Patagonia into three galleries now: Rio Negro, Neuquen (2010) and 'Around the city of Neuquen'.

All these can now be found at http://keesjan.smugmug.com/Botanical-trips/North-and-South-America. I'm using the website as an online back-up of my pictures. In time many more pictures will be hidden though, since there is a huge number of pictures now, but selecting them is very time consuming process.

Kees Jan,
Just overwhelming - especially for me of course the violets (Viola coronifera!). Thank you for all these sights!

Gerd
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Hoy on February 27, 2012, 06:43:41 PM

Thank you Kees and Ger.
When do you plan the next tour?  8)
Our next tour to Chile is planned in January 2013. However this tour is complete now.
For december 2013 I have planned again a trip to S. Patagonia.

S. Patagonia seems exciting!
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Kees Jan on February 27, 2012, 09:53:17 PM
I just stared uploading another day of plants to my 2nd Mendoza gallery (northern part). One of the highlights was Viola montagnei, which really is a work of art  :) :) :)! I don't think I've ever before seen a species with rosettes quite as large as in this population and the flower colour is unusual. It seems to be one of the many species in the 'Viola volcanica group', these are ususally rather short lived species, both in the wild and in cultivation. It is amazing how many of them mimic the colour of the rock and sand they are growing in...

The pictures of three more field days need to be prepared for uploading to my website, but that will probably take about 10 more days!
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: FrazerHenderson on February 27, 2012, 10:19:08 PM
Kees

Dank u voor uw uitstekende foto's. De website is een geweldige hulpbron.

Frazer
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Maggi Young on February 28, 2012, 10:58:45 AM
One of the highlights was Viola motagnei, which really is a work of art  :) :) :)!

Kees, is the name not Viola montagnei ?
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: gervandenbeuken on February 28, 2012, 06:04:06 PM
Yes Maggi, the name is Viola montagnei.
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Maggi Young on February 28, 2012, 06:13:59 PM
Yes Maggi, the name is Viola montagnei.

It's a wonderful thing with its furry leaves and black flowers...... 8)
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Kees Jan on February 28, 2012, 06:37:42 PM
Yes, typing error! A very special Viola though and we have not seen many plants of this species.
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Kees Jan on March 11, 2012, 03:51:39 PM
All photographs of this trip are online now on my website (follow the links 'Botanical trips', 'North and South America'...).

Also some picst of the botanical gardens in Buenos Aires: http://keesjan.smugmug.com/Cultivated-plants/Buenos-Aires-Botanical-Garden/ No alpines though, the climate in Buenos Aires is subtropical!
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Kees Jan on May 14, 2012, 07:33:09 PM
This is possibly the first picture of Viola decipiens on the internet. This species is closely related to Viola philippii and a new record for Argentina. It was photographed near the Chilean border in northern Mendoza. We thought it was V. philippii at the time.
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Maggi Young on May 14, 2012, 07:38:51 PM
A beauty indeed, Kees  8)
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Gerdk on May 15, 2012, 09:32:24 AM
Kees Jan,
Thank you for sharing this pic!

Is this plant as small as Viola philippii is? Flowers seems to be somewhat larger.

Gerd
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Kees Jan on May 15, 2012, 07:26:54 PM
No, I think it is about the same size. Flowers and plant are tiny. This is probably just a tiny rosette and the picture is close-up! We found what was identified as true V. philippii further south.
Title: Re: Neuquen and Mendoza, Argentina
Post by: Gerdk on May 16, 2012, 06:37:08 AM
Thanks Kees Jan,
Nevertheless an extraordinary beauty!

Gerd
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