Madagascar November 2015

[Robert]

Robert, I think you can grow several of the high altitude species from Madagascar!

Trond,

Something for me to consider.

Leaving for the summit with head touches reminds me of summit day from the south col of Everest (not that I have ever been there). I seems your summit day was much easier than Everest and, in addition, there were many interesting plants to enjoy. My understand is that there is not much in the way of flora even at the Everest base camp.

Your last batch of photographs were extremely interesting. The view and mountains from the summit must have been spectacular! The orange flowering species reminds me of Abutilon, however, to me, the view inside the flower looks nothing like a Malvaceae. We have some very talented forumist - somebody will have an idea as to its identification.

Thank you for sharing all of the photographs! 

[majallison]

  from this post on previous page:
http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=13791.msg346415#msg346415

A shrub that had looked completely dry on the way up proved to have but one big flower! Not easy to put a name to though!

Could this be Dombeya macrantha?


 edit by maggi to add link to relevant post.

[Hoy]

Trond,

Something for me to consider.

. . . ..

Robert,

it is maybe more difficult to obtain plants/seeds than to grow them!

[Hoy]

Could this be Dombeya macrantha?


 edit by maggi to add link to relevant post.

Malcolm, I think you are right; at least the genus is right. More than 180 species of Dombeya are described from Madagascar!

Thanks!

[Hoy]

Down from the higher realms through the heathland. More than 35 species of Erica are known from the island and we spot at least 5 different species along our path. They are highly inflammable but regrow easily from the stumps.










A lone scorched tree slowly regenerates while the heath has regrown from a previous wildfire.

[Hoy]

Everywhere Helichrysum species were mixed with the heath.




The thicker stems of the heath were covered by moss, lichen and other plants like this woody stemmed epiphyte.




Some plants, like the Salvia, had benefited from the fire.

[Hoy]

Here and there also other shrubs were mixed with the heath.






Gradually the trees became thicker and with more and more growth on the trunks. Especially orchids were common, but we were a few months too early to see them in flower.

[Hoy]

A patch of rainforest mixed with drier forest.






Close to 1000 different speciesof orchids are known - and I spotted several, maybe 100 different ones.

[Hoy]

Almost in full flower!






The only cactus native to Africa: Rhipsalis baccifera. The subspecies in Madagascar are sometimes called R. madagascariensis. It is variable and I spotted it in several different locations.




The flowers are rather tiny!

[ashley]

Wonderful epiphytes and other plants Trond
Was the hanging lichen on that 'lone scorched tree' something like the Usnea species we see in temperate rainforest?
This article 'Vegetation of Malagasy inselbergs' is rather interesting.

[Hoy]

Thanks Ashley

yes, I think it is Usnea - several species are known from Madagascar.

[Robert]

Trond,

Some of the terrain reminds me of the chaparral plant communities here in California. It appears that fire is an important factor, just as it is here.

How quickly did the climatic conditions change to one that appears to have more moisture? Exposure? Did you hike over the mountain? Maybe other factors, like a river, or a different soil type?

[Gabriela]

Thanks again for the photo-journey Trond! Superb images, of course I particularly like the mountains 
That white epiphytic orchid attached on the rock - wow!!!

[Hoy]

Trond,

Some of the terrain reminds me of the chaparral plant communities here in California. It appears that fire is an important factor, just as it is here.

How quickly did the climatic conditions change to one that appears to have more moisture? Exposure? Did you hike over the mountain? Maybe other factors, like a river, or a different soil type?

Robert,

I can imagine that it looks more like California than Norway

The climate changed very quickly when we descended down into the valley. The landscape here is criss-crossed by rivers and creeks, most held water all year. I believe the forest covered a greater area before humans entered 300 years ago. Then a calf-sized grazing/browsing lemur and a big flightless bird were the dominant herbivores in this area. The forest is still threatened by wildfires although it is part of a national park.

We did not cross the mountains but we descended along another route than we ascended. The soil consisted mostly of degraded granite but with a fair amount of organic matter. My guess is that the soil is acidic.

[Hoy]

Thanks again for the photo-journey Trond! Superb images, of course I particularly like the mountains 
That white epiphytic orchid attached on the rock - wow!!!

You are welcome, Gabriela!

It was also a plethora of ferns (most evergreens I presume) everywhere