New Zealand Field Trips November 2009

[David Lyttle]

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

[Gerdk]

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

[Paddy Tobin]

Good to have your report on your most recent outing, David. Always a pleasure I look forward to.

Paddy

[Ragged Robin]

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'.

[kiwi]

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.

[kiwi]

Could someone please identify this for me, also from Mt Hutt today. Cheers.

[Ragged Robin]

Last photo I think is Leptinella pyrenthrifolia?

This is a lovely plant creeping through the crevices - is it only found in NZ Doug?

[David Lyttle]

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.

[Lesley Cox]

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.

[t00lie]

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 .    

    

[t00lie]

Final four.

Cheers Dave.

[Paddy Tobin]

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

[t00lie]

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 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.
  

[Lesley Cox]

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.

[David Lyttle]

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.