Făgăraș Mountains - in one day

[Gabriela]

I searched and noticed there is nothing about Făgăraș Mountains, although I know it is quite a visited region. So I will post few pictures even if there was just a one day trip.
The place will warrant of course at least one week to fully understand its beauty and to climb some of the highest peaks of Southern Carpathian Mts. in Romania.

A picture seen on many postcards - the Transfăgărașan road leading to  Bâlea Lake where there are places to stay and various trails start. The picture was taken while hiking to Saua Caprei (goat something in translation) a trail easily done in a short trip.


Around the lake close to a remnant snow patch maybe thousand of Ranunculus crenatus and Soldanella pusilla in flower. The trip was worth just for seeing them!


Close-ups


Soldanella hungarica also in flower - I couldn't att the picture although small size, quite bothering...

And to keep it with the Primulaceae - Primula matthioli (syn. Cortusa)


Few others when I get to resize them. There are Ranunculus crenatus seeds available, which I would like to keep for seedex but I know they have short viability. Someone knows better?

[Margaret Thorne]

Great photos. When were you there?

[ashley]

Lovely mountains and plants Gabriela.  Thanks for showing them.

[Gabriela]

Great photos. When were you there?

On July 25th Margaret. The area sees a LOT of snow up to June in some years , so it can be great variation in flowering times from one year to another.

[Gabriela]

Lovely mountains and plants Gabriela.  Thanks for showing them.

Unfortunately the weather wasn't cooperating Ashley, the tops were engulfed in grey clouds for most part of the day to the extent that it was hard to keep the trail. Few sunny breaks were very welcomed later in the day.
Here's Gentiana frigida which came in view, in much larger numbers here due to the siliceous substrate.

[Yann]

Gabriela, G. frigida grow on an acidic substrate? because silice is often basic.

[Gabriela]

Yann, as far as I know siliceous substrate has a pH around 6, while calcareous is above 7.

It was interesting to see various species that otherwise in Bucegi are growing only here and there, in large numbers due to the mainly siliceous substrate:
Gentiana frigida, Campanula alpina, the Soldanella pusilla, R. crenatus.
Good fortune made it that also the endemic Silene dinarica was in flower and the pictures will show the association with Primula minima, Rhododendron....all slightly acidic lovers.

[Yann]

I'm asking this because i know several areas (not there) with siliceous soil ph 7-7.5, not common but washed substrat.
But yes normally silice is acidic.

[Gabriela]

I'm asking this because i know several areas (not there) with siliceous soil ph 7-7.5, not common but washed substrat.
But yes normally silice is acidic.

Sorry I didn't answer Yann; neither I cropped other pictures yet. I started this topic not at a very good moment.
I thought that siliceous means pH below 7, but then, there may be other factors involved.

[Tristan_He]

The term 'siliceous' is a bit vague - my understanding of it (from a freshwater background) is that it refers to hard, non-calcareous rocks that tend to produce acidic to neutral pH with a rather low buffering capacity and calcium concentration. So pH is often acidic but not always, and could even be slightly alkaline, but never lime-rich.

[Gabriela]

The term 'siliceous' is a bit vague - my understanding of it (from a freshwater background) is that it refers to hard, non-calcareous rocks that tend to produce acidic to neutral pH with a rather low buffering capacity and calcium concentration. So pH is often acidic but not always, and could even be slightly alkaline, but never lime-rich.

Your explanation sounds about right Tristan. Plant species wise, this is the substrate for those who don't enjoy lime (or called calcifuge).
Few examples.
The endemic Silene dinarica (wrong choice of the species epithet)


An image of the rock ledge where it was growing, with crevices filled with other calcifuge species.


Primula minima


Pulsatilla alpina ssp. alpina


Rhododendon myrtifolium