Finse July 2016. Some plants from the central mountain area in Norway

[Hoy]

Veronica alpina. Not as showy as fruticans but charming.




A small rock garden at 1500 m.




Saxifraga oppositifolia is often found in crevices but there they flower early.




Close up Parnassia palustris.




Primula scandinavica. Most flowers were spent as it flower as soon as the snow melts. Not easy to picture in the steady breeze either.

[David Nicholson]

Well done Trond, I am enjoying this series.

[Hoy]

Well done Trond, I am enjoying this series.

Thanks David. Here are a few more pictures:

Saxifraga rivularis in its right element!




Eriophorum scheuchzeri.




It was only dead lemmings to be seen, not one alive.




Male catkins of Salix reticulata.




Cassiope/Harrimanella hypnoides with only seed capsules.

[Hoy]

Someone has trodden on this white Silene acaulis.




Tofieldia pusilla.




Astragalus alpinus.




Oxytropa lapponica, almost similar to the one above but the leaves are more acute and the flowers have usually deeper colour.




Gentianella tenella, only 2.5cm tall.

[Gabriela]

Thanks Trond, I'll keep an eye open for it at the mountain stores here. Beautiful pictures again

[Tim Ingram]

Wonderful photos Trond! Thirty plus years ago I had a short holiday in Norway with two friends and we travelled on the Myrdal-Flåm railway. Would be nice to do again, and to stop off and look at the plants! Many thanks for showing them.

[Robert]

Trond,

It most be interesting visiting the same area. I have travel to some areas in the Sierra Nevada repeatedly and I always see something different or in a different way. For me it is never ending... and great! 

Thank you so much for sharing this trip with us. I appreciate that you shared some of the geology of this area. I do not come across Gneiss or Schist very often in the Sierra Nevada. The two rock types are somewhat rare in our area, but they can be found.

I very much like seeing the Cottongrass. Eriophorum gracile grows in our area, however I rarely see it. The same with Tofieldia - Triantha (Tofieldia) occidentalis is our Sierra Nevada species.

Parnassia palustris is also native to the Sierra Nevada as well as several other species within this genus. I do not see them very often either.

As for the Taraxacum.... well I learn something new all of the time.    I did not know that some species were apomixis. We learned that some species of Poa were apomixis in college. I have been distracted for a long time I guess. 

Anyway - it seems that it was a rewarding trip. I look forward to your next one... and learning more! 

[Ian Y]

Such a delight to view your pictures Trond you are showing  the plants and habitats that I find so fascinating, thanks for sharing them with us and taking us on your journey.

[Hoy]

Thanks Trond, I'll keep an eye open for it at the mountain stores here. Beautiful pictures again

Thanks Gabriela.

I am very satisified with my gear

[Hoy]

Wonderful photos Trond! Thirty plus years ago I had a short holiday in Norway with two friends and we travelled on the Myrdal-Flåm railway. Would be nice to do again, and to stop off and look at the plants! Many thanks for showing them.

Thanks Tim.

Next time you have to continue from Myrdal to Finse! It is not very far, you can go by train or bike

Trond,

It most be interesting visiting the same area. I have travel to some areas in the Sierra Nevada repeatedly and I always see something different or in a different way. For me it is never ending... and great! 

Thank you so much for sharing this trip with us. I appreciate that you shared some of the geology of this area. I do not come across Gneiss or Schist very often in the Sierra Nevada. The two rock types are somewhat rare in our area, but they can be found.

I very much like seeing the Cottongrass. Eriophorum gracile grows in our area, however I rarely see it. The same with Tofieldia - Triantha (Tofieldia) occidentalis is our Sierra Nevada species.

Parnassia palustris is also native to the Sierra Nevada as well as several other species within this genus. I do not see them very often either.

As for the Taraxacum.... well I learn something new all of the time.    I did not know that some species were apomixis. We learned that some species of Poa were apomixis in college. I have been distracted for a long time I guess. 

Anyway - it seems that it was a rewarding trip. I look forward to your next one... and learning more! 

Glad you like it Robert! It is always interesting to read your comments!

[Hoy]

Such a delight to view your pictures Trond you are showing  the plants and habitats that I find so fascinating, thanks for sharing them with us and taking us on your journey.

Thank you Ian, I appreciate your comments very much!

[Hoy]

A few more:

Minuartia biflora, a rather small but tough plant for exposed sites.




Oxyria digyna to the left and Polygonum viviparum to the right. Both are edible.




Michranthes  (Saxifraga) stellaris.




Omalotheca supina. The last four grow everywhere!




This big piece of schist rock was  a real rock garden with 10 species of nice plants growing atop it. Almost all were finished flowering. The grass is Trisetum spicatum, a nice almost black grass.

[Hoy]

Between west and east Finse gets much precipitation, both in winter and summer. Usually the rain in summer are light showers but heavy rain can also be expected. The snowmelt and rain in summer create a lot of running water! It is few bridges so one has to be prepared for wading or long jumps! The different layers of schist makes steps in the bedrock










The last picture shows a Ranunculus glacialis - one of my favorites




The end.
Thanks for following!

[Maggi Young]

Wow!

[David Lyttle]

Trond,

I have really enjoyed your photographic essay on the Finse region: you have covered mostly everything; landscapes, geology and plants. I liked the views of the plant associations with the snowbanks and glaciers; it is really interesting to compare them with the alpine regions of New Zealand. Perhaps your alpine vegetation is sparser and not so species rich but the plant associations are similar. We too have schist and the grass Trisetum spicatum is found here as well. There still seems to be a lot of ice remaining in your mountains compared to our schist block mountains where the ice is long since gone.

Beautiful photos