Botanising in Malvik by Bike

[Ragged Robin]

Stephen I have loved every minute of your biking hike and enjoyed being introduced to so many wild plants and butterflies on the way with wonderful views and interesting habitats.  I suddenly realised on the final ascent that you are close to Trondheim where we spent many fishing holidays when I was young(er)!  In fact it is good to know that my presence is still there in the damp grass; a very happy looking Ragged Robin and I can taste those delicious cloudberries that I drew as they fished.  Thanks so much for this wonderful ride through glorious scenery - no wonder you chose to live there.  Just one question....how do you eat an Ostrich fern ?

[Lesley Cox]

I have totally missed this super thread. Thanks to Stephen for sharing this wonderful journey and to Maggi - who else - for pointing me in the right direction, from another thread.

[Stephenb]

Fantastic tour, Thanks.    Great to see so many wonderful new things including that wonderful Cornus (amongst other things).  Nice to see Viola biflora, that cute little yellow Violet.  I used to grow it here years ago but eventually lost it...... I have only ever seen it for sale the one time, and that was 15 to 20 years ago now, so it was great to see a pic of it again.  So much like the leaves and flowers of a violet, even if the growth habit is more like that of a viola.  I'm sure that will confuse people, given the things known as viola versus the genus Viola.    I do know what I'm talking about, honest!! 

I'm sure you do, Paul. I will study your thesis in more detail once the dizziness passes...

[Stephenb]

Stephen I have loved every minute of your biking hike and enjoyed being introduced to so many wild plants and butterflies on the way with wonderful views and interesting habitats.  I suddenly realised on the final ascent that you are close to Trondheim where we spent many fishing holidays when I was young(er)!  In fact it is good to know that my presence is still there in the damp grass; a very happy looking Ragged Robin and I can taste those delicious cloudberries that I drew as they fished.  Thanks so much for this wonderful ride through glorious scenery - no wonder you chose to live there.  Just one question....how do you eat an Ostrich fern ?

Yes, I thought of you when I posted that picture    Where exactly did you go on your fishing holidays?

Ostrich Fern can be eaten in all sorts of ways, with pasta, with fish, oriental or just steamed for 10 minutes as a side vegetable. Pick preferably when the  fiddlehead is still tightly coiled (the taste is reminiscent of asparagus, but has a taste all of its own):

[Lesley Cox]

  Just one question....how do you eat an Ostrich fern ?

With ostrich? (Which is very good, incidentally)

[TheOnionMan]

Thanks Stephen, it felt like I was there riding along with you, one of the better aspects of these forums.  Beautiful scenery and plants along the way, your efforts to put all of this together are appreciated. 

Your photo of Tofieldia pusilla leaves me wanting to see the flowers open, the buds showing a lot of promise!  I have two wonderful evergreen clumps of Tofieldia coccinea, low, green, and compact, but never flowering... what does it take to flower these quiet plants?

Loved the habitat shots of Rhodiola rosea.  And I agree with Paul T on Viola biflora, a really choice yellow viola species.  I googled it and found that it occurs in North America too, will have to be on the watch for this one.

USDA Plant Profile page on Viola biflora:
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=VIBI2

CalPhotos link on Viola biflora, this is one sweet little violet! (photos from Slovenia)
http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?query_src=photos_index&where-taxon=Viola+biflora

Question:  is Helvella corium edible, or as deadly as it looks?

[Ragged Robin]

Yes, I thought of you when I posted that picture    Where exactly did you go on your fishing holidays?

Ostrich Fern can be eaten in all sorts of ways, with pasta, with fish, oriental or just steamed for 10 minutes as a side vegetable. Pick preferably when the  fiddlehead is still tightly coiled (the taste is reminiscent of asparagus, but has a taste all of its own):

We were based in Trondheim and fly fished the rivers close by, can't remember the names - Rissa was a favourite spot which I remember well with fantastic mirror views over the fjord and walks together in long grass, full of  flowers, with a picnic lunch.  It was the first time I experienced fish for breakfast (other than kippers) and that brown whey cheese you describe, everything prepared and laid out so beautifully.

My brother and his wife have just driven right up Norway to north of the Arctic Circle to include a visit to Narvik where my Mother's young brother (they were New Zealanders) was the last pilot shot down at the age of 21 in the last war.  They have had an amazing time revisiting old haunts and seeing new places.

I shall definitely try the Ostrich fern - we have loads growing close by in Switzerland so a few fiddles won't decimate the plant I hope - thanks for the recipe ideas 

[Maggi Young]

Your photo of Tolfieldia pusilla leaves me wanting to see the flowers open, the buds showing a lot of promise!  I have two wonderful evergreen clumps of Tolfieldia coccinea, low, green, and compact, but never flowering... what does it take to flower these quiet plants?

 I think you mean Tofieldia pusilla and Tofieldia coccinea, Mcmark

[Stephenb]

 Just one question....how do you eat an Ostrich fern ?

With ostrich? (Which is very good, incidentally)

Actually I wrote an article on Ostrich Fern a few years ago. Some local farmers had a few years before that started Ostrich farming but had given up because of cheap African imports. I suggested in the article, jokingly, that Ostrich Fern might make a good replacement (a joint Norwegian-Canadian research project on Ostrich Fern cultivation had just started up).  

[Stephenb]

Mark

Viola bifolia: I've tried moving this into my garden, but it generally doesn't stay long (grows in quite moist habitats)

Tofieldia: I should go back and take a picture, is that what you're trying to say?

Helvella: Haven't come across this species used for food, but there are other Helvellas which are sometimes used, so I don't think they are poisonous.

[TheOnionMan]

Your photo of Tolfieldia pusilla leaves me wanting to see the flowers open, the buds showing a lot of promise!  I have two wonderful evergreen clumps of Tolfieldia coccinea, low, green, and compact, but never flowering... what does it take to flower these quiet plants?

 I think you mean Tofieldia pusilla and Tofieldia coccinea, Mcmark

Maggi, you are correct... at least I was consistent with my misspelling   Corrections made.

[cohan]

some really choice alpines at the top to crown the day

[Stephenb]

A little postscript –  I’ve had a couple of plant interested visitors from the UK here and we ended up driving up to Vennafjellet yesterday. Just two weeks after my last visit, the vegetation was very different. Only a few Dryas and no Moss Campion flowers remained, replaced by Bird’s Foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculata) and Alchemilla alpina (1).

2-3. Saxifraga cotyledon was now in flower
4. Botrychium lunaria (Moonwort) now out in quite large numbers on the top.
5. Dryas seed heads
6-7. Coeloglossum viride (Frog Orchid) in two colour forms next to each other.
8. I wasn’t sure what the orchid was when I was up there and I didn’t have a flora with me. This little chap was trying to give me a clue, but I didn’t get it…

[Stephenb]

Final few:

1) Arctous alpinus (Black Bearberry)
2-3) Salix reticulata (Net-leaved Willow) – the trees don’t grow very big up here – my friend’s shoe is included for scale…

…and I completely forgot to take a picture of the Tofieldia!

[Ragged Robin]

Isn't it great to retrace your steps and see what's new 

Lovely view from above the tree line and the little Salix reticulata is cute in that habitat.  The Dryas seed heads have a mystical beauty - I do love seed heads that send a shimmer in the sunlight, blown by the wind.  Is this spot well known Stephen?